the life changing choices
by demon darling
Summary: COMPLETE! I'm not sure where this will lead but it is rated M for a reason! if you don't like it, don't read it: it's that simple! And my little brother better not read this because it is NOT for young kids like you!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, this is my first Percy Jackson fic and I don't really know where it's going. But I do know that it is rated M for a reason and if you don't like it, don't read it. This is to take place around the time that Percy and Annabeth are 19, Nico is 15, and if I bring Thalia she will be 17 (because of the whole ageing-like-a-tree thing)**

**And my little brother had better not read this because it is NOT for kids!!!**

**Oh and I did add some original characters **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Percy Jackson books. **

Percy POV

It was the fourth week into the beginning of camp and I could not have been happier to be back. Annabeth and I had just finished our last year of high school and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than hang out on the beach at Camp Half-Blood—well, _I _ could think of a better way but there was no way I was going to try it on Annabeth.

Annabeth and I had been dating for three years and I know most guys would have made _the_ move by now but those guys weren't dating a girl who could easily kick their ass into the next week. The sun was setting and the two of us were in each other's arms watching its beauty.

Annabeth sighed. "Have you ever seen anything like that? It's almost as beautiful as the Great Wall."

I laughed. "Babe, neither of them compare to you." I watched her blush and she kissed me passionately. "And they can't kiss like you either." I murmured and Annabeth giggled slightly.

"It amazes me how you can be so sweet and then ruin it with your stupidity."

"It amazes me that it still amazes you."

Annabeth laughed again and then she kissed me once more, only this time I didn't ruin it with some stupid comment and wrapped my arms around her waist. How had I gotten a girl as great as Annabeth to ever kiss me in the first place? I was secretly amazed that she still spent any of her time with me after all these years.

After a few minutes of heavy making out, Annabeth did something unexpected: like pushing me on my back and straddling my waist, for example. She grinned evilly at me and we continued on with our kissing only this time it was deeper and more seductive than any of our earlier kisses. Annabeth's hands ran up my chest and I shuddered under her touch.

I cautiously slid my hands from her waist up the inside of her shirt. Annabeth didn't seem to mind my touch and, in fact, she moaned under my hands. My breathing was shallow and I could feel my jeans getting tight on me in . . . areas.

Annabeth spoke in between kisses. "How long . . . have we . . . been dating?"

I briefly wondered why she was asking but dismissed the thought as Annabeth's hands slid down my chest and to my belt buckle. "Three years?"

Annabeth pulled away. "And why, in these three years, have you not invited me to come with you to your cabin?"

I hesitated. "I didn't want to rush you into anything." I paused for a second and then I smiled at her. "Do you want to come with me to my cabin, Annabeth?"

Annabeth smiled back at me. "I might."

Then our smiles died in unison as her cell phone started to ring. Annabeth looked at the number and frowned, "Maybe it's the wrong number . . . but I should take this anyways, just to be sure."

I nodded and she answered the phone only moving so that I could sit up but otherwise staying on my lap. "Hello?" I could hear a girl's voice on the other side of the line but her words were too fast and frantic for me to understand. "Thalia? Slow down, Hun, I can't understand you."

I took in the worried look on Annabeth's face and mouthed "What's up?"

Annabeth didn't answer me. "What do you mean Artemis kicked you out?" Annabeth listened for a while to Thalia ranting on the other end and then said, "That's a bunch of bullshit! Alright, Thalia, we'll come get you, don't worry."

Annabeth hung up the phone and sighed. "Sorry, babe, but we'll have to put this on hold for now; Thalia got thrown out of the Hunters. We have to go pick her up from the air port."

"How did she get thrown out?" I was thankful for the fact that our plans had been canceled by something dramatic, if not I would be suffering from major blue balls right now.

"Artemis and Zeus got into an argument and Thalia was forced to choose between her father and Artemis." Annabeth sighed. "A child has no choice even when they say there is one; we must always be loyal to our Godly parents."

I sighed and Annabeth got up. "I'll have to tell Nico that we are going to pick up his _favorite_ person."

Annabeth sighed and kissed me. "I'm really sorry we don't get to spend this time doing what I had hoped we would be."

I nodded in agreement and left to go get Nico, he sure would love to hear this. Nico had always hated Thalia and she didn't really hate him, she just didn't care about whom he was or what he did. I guess it could be because of their parents or it could be because of the "Bianca" situation, which Nico was still very touchy about.

Regardless of his reason, the three of us were the only children of the big three and that was all there was to it. As far as Nico and Thalia were concerned, that was the only thing they ever needed—or wanted—to know about each other.

If I had been told that everything would be different by the time we got back, I wouldn't have dreaded telling Nico about Thalia's return, because I would realize that that was of little importance compared to future events.

**Okay, so I will post the next chapter as soon as it is finished. I have been thinking a lot about this story so I'm sure I will be able to post very, very soon. **

**R&R, please!!!!!!**


	2. The newbies

**So in this chapter I've added my new characters and introduced them but I don't want to ruin the surprise so R&R!!!!!**

**Chapter Two:**  
The Newbies

Annabeth, Nico, and I were all loaded up in my new Hummer that Annabeth, Grover, Nico, my mom, and—to my shock—my dad had all pitched in to get contumely made for me. It was sea green with tented windows and a very large grill. It had built in machine guns and—when I reached a certain speed—there was a second exhaust pipe that shot out blue flames. For the last year it has been one of my most prized possessions, apart from Riptide, of course.

We were at the air port by eleven—it took two hours to get through New York traffic—and Thalia was waiting by the front doors. She didn't have to see who was driving to know that this magnificent motor vehicle belonged to yours truly. Without a word Thalia threw her bag in the back of the car and climbed into the back seat.

"You brought this Dork with you?" Thalia said once she saw Nico was in the car. Thalia was older than she had been when she became a Hunter but was still younger than Annabeth and I.

"Yes, they brought me." Nico snapped. "I wanted to see if you had gotten less ugly since you left." Nico eyed her momentarily and then huffed. "But apparently I came all this way for nothing."

"I wasn't talking to you!" Thalia snarled. "I don't talk to kids that smell like a rotting corpse."

"Oh, fuck you, Thalia!"

Thalia smirked at him. "Not even if it was the only way to get out of the Underworld."

"That is enough, you two!" Annabeth intervened as I began to drive away. "You guys are two of our closest friends and we don't want you fighting all the time. Now I had to put some very important plans on hold in order to come get you, Thalia, and, Nico, if you didn't want to talk to her you didn't have to come along."

Annabeth can be very scary at times, especially when it came to her friends' arguing. Thalia and Nico got quiet in the back seat but I knew it would never last. As if to make things better, it began pouring rain. Once we were out of town it was about one thirty in the morning. We were driving along a back road lined with trees and it seemed quiet and peaceful despite the fact that I could barely see.

That was until a giant drooling monster came out of the threes and I had to slam on the breaks to avoid running into one of its legs.

"Percy!" Annabeth screamed as the Hummer squealed to a stop.

Before anyone could comprehend what the creature was in front of us, a figure came leaping out of the trees and landed on the monster's back. I could hear indistinct yelling and two more figures leapt out of the trees onto the monster. In the next moment the creature turned into ash and the three forms stood in front of the Hummer's massive grill.

Annabeth opened the door and jumped outside. "Annabeth!" I called after her, but she ignored me.

I opened my door and Nico, Thalia, and I ran to meet her.

Thalia POV

I was the first to reach Annabeth and I looked at the kids standing in front of us.

"Who are you?" Annabeth questioned them. "Where are you headed?"

There were two girls and one boy in front of us. They all looked incredibly different. The girl, who seemed to be the oldest, had long blonde hair, blue-green eyes, and—I thought before I could stop myself—a really hot body. Her white tank was soaked and clinging to her chest and exposing her sea green bra—which I guessed was a size 32D.

The second girl had fiery red hair, brown-red eyes, and long legs that she showed off with a pair of shorts. The boy had black hair, olive skin, and a really nice muscle tone. His eyes were as dark as night and his teeth were perfectly white.

It was the oldest girl who stepped forward. "We are headed toward a camp."

"Camp Half-Blood, I'm guessing?" Nico said.

The girl nodded and pointed to the red head. "This is Max, daughter of Aries." She waved her hand to the boy. "That is Nox, son of Hades."

"What?" Nico asked before thinking.

I rolled my eyes at him. "What did it sound like, dumb ass? You apparently have a half brother."

"I heard what she said, tree, I was just surprised seeing as how Hades made it seem like I was an only demi-god child." Nico snapped.

"You're a son of Hades?" Nox asked. Then a smile broke across his face. "That is awesome!"

"Anyways, the blonde girl still needs to introduce herself." Percy said. "But you can do it in the car because it is cold out here."

They nodded and we all piled into the Hummer. Percy was driving and Annabeth road up front, Nico, Nox, and Max were in the back seat, while the blonde girl and I were sitting in the back with the bags.

"So, what is your name?" I asked casually.

She seemed to eye me for a moment. "Alec, it means 'Defender of the People' but I don't really live up to it."

I held out my hand and Alec took it, her hands were soft but firm. "I'm Thalia, daughter of Zeus."

Annabeth called from up front. "My name is Annabeth and I'm the daughter of Athena. Nico is the son of Hades, and Percy is the son of Poseidon."

"Poseidon?" The name sparked an interest in Alec.

"Yeah, the God of the Sea." Percy explained.

Alec smiled. "We should hurry and get to this camp. Right now, we're practically sending a flare up for every monster within thirty miles or farther."

Percy nodded. "You're right, four children of the Big Three is going to be on ever monster's—"

"Five." Alec interrupted. "It's five children of the Big Three." I looked at Alec, waiting. "I guess, you're my half brother, Percy."

Just then Percy slammed on the breaks and we were thrown forward. "We're here." Percy said shortly and he got out of the Hummer.

Alec caught my eyes. "He's mad?"

I shrugged. "I've been a Hunter for at least four years; they had just picked me up from the air port."

Alec smiled at me. "You mean you're the Thalia who went down fighting for her friends and was turned into a tree? And later joined the Hunter's of Artemis?"

I smiled. "The very one." I had never really cared if people knew who I was or not but something about this girl quoting my stats was very riveting.

Alec smiled. "I just want you to know that you are one of my favorite demi-gods." I could feel myself blushing but thankfully Alec didn't notice. "Sorry, but I have to go check on Percy, I'll see you later though, right?"

I smiled. "Right."

Percy POV

"Hey! Yo, Percy, I want to talk to you." Alec yelled as she ran to catch up with me.

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me, I wanna talk with you."

"So talk."

Alec rolled her eyes, grabbed my arm, and forced me to stop. "I know you're mad and my guess is it's because your dad didn't tell you about me. Well, he didn't tell me about you either, actually, he has yet to talk to me. All I got was some green sign with a trident on it that appeared out of nowhere a few years back."

"Well, that is better than him carrying on a full conversation about how gods should claim their demi-god kids more with him and him still not bringing up the fact that he had another one somewhere." I told her.

"But he did what you wanted him to: he claimed his demi-god child. He could have talked to her, but at least I was claimed." Alec sighed. "If he didn't love you, he would have never claimed me."

With that she patted my shoulder and walked ahead toward the entrance of the camp. I sighed, knowing she was right and followed her and the others up the path. Annabeth came to walk with me and she held my hand. "You have to admit, it is pretty exciting to have more children of the Big Three show up."

I glared at her and she kissed me. Almost as soon as our lips touched, we were doused in water. I looked up to see Alec glaring at Annabeth. "Sorry, I thought you were going to eat his face."

Max smiled at us as Alec walked away. "She's very protective."

Annabeth didn't get mad the way I thought she would, instead she laughed. "Guess we'll have to be more secretive."

I rolled my eyes. "She might be my new sister, but I'm not about to drop my kissing habits just because she doesn't like it." I smiled then and brought Annabeth closer for a deeper, much more passionate kiss.

Things were going to start changing around here, but I would refuse to let Annabeth and I be one of them.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is the chapter where things start heating up! I hope you like it! R&R, please!!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Percy Jackson story.**

Annabeth POV

It was four in the morning two days after Alec, Max, and Nox had joined camp and I couldn't get to sleep. Percy had been grumpy all day and I wished I could help but I didn't know how. I stood by the window in the Athena cabin and I watched the stars . . . and I watched as Alec walked out of the Poseidon cabin and toward the beach.

If I have learned one thing, it's that when a child of Poseidon goes to the water, they tend to stay there a long time.

An idea suddenly hit me, and I snuck out of my cabin. I quietly made my way passed several cabins and tapped on the door of the one I wanted.

I waited a few seconds and then went in. There was a person lying in one of the beds, fully clothed, and not even under the covers. I walked over and shook his shoulder. The body groaned and rolled over.

I shook a little harder. "Sea Weed Brain, get up."

Percy POV

I was in the middle of a very hot and heavy dream about what should have happened between me and Annabeth the day on the beach, when someone shook me. I tried to ignore them—the dream had just started getting good—but they were very persistent.

"Sea Weed Brain, get up." I heard a voice say.

I rolled over and looked up at stormy, blue-gray eyes. "Annabeth?"

"Who else would show up in your cabin at night?" She rolled her eyes.

I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "What are you doing here?"

She put her arms around my neck. "I couldn't help but notice you were a little grumpy today, I wanted to help you get over that."

"How?" I asked blinking to see in the dark.

Annabeth didn't answer instead she leaned in and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around her waist, stood so that we were roughly the same height, and we moved into a heavy make out session. Annabeth's hands didn't waste time as they slid down my chest and undid my belt.

Annabeth broke the kiss just long enough to jerk my belt out of its loops. I smiled as we kissed again and this time I was the one to break the kiss when I took off her shirt. She was wearing a lime green bra and I smiled at the fact that I had just got this girl shirtless.

Annabeth and I began to kiss roughly and she ripped my shirt off of me. We were moaning and kissing and touching and I couldn't help but think that this was way better than my dream.

As our hunger for one another grew, Annabeth stumbled backward and I stepped forward so we didn't break the kiss. We ended up with Annabeth being pressed against the waist-high side table and my hands were everywhere I had always wished I could put them.

Annabeth was moaning constantly under my touch and the thought of where this was leading made me hard. I unbuttoned Annabeth's pants and she undid mine, we were both soon in only our underwear.

I pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "Are you sure? You know, about this?"

Annabeth smiled. "I know what I want, Percy." She kissed my neck and then leaned close to whisper in my ear seductively, "I want you inside me."

I couldn't stop myself from moaning. I pulled her panties off her and slid two fingers inside. Annabeth gasped and then moaned with pleasure. She was wet and warm and I wanted more.

"Oh, gods, Percy, I want more." Annabeth moaned in my ear.

I added another finger and she moan with more pleasure than before. I messaged her clit with my fingers and it was making me harder just hearing her moans of delight. "Percy, I want more. I want you to fuck me."

She pulled my boxers off and I pulled her thighs up and she wrapped her legs around me. I set her on the table and began grinding my dick against her. She kissed my neck and her breathing was rapid and irregular.

I slid myself inside her and she cried out with pleasure and pain. I slowly slid in and out of her, feeling the warmth of her insides. I was trying to control myself from going too fast and putting Annabeth in more pain.

Soon her sounds of pain turned in to pleasure. "Percy, go faster." I followed her order and began to go faster. She shouted with bliss. "Oh, Percy, go deeper! I want all of you! Oh, gods, Percy, please!"

I pushed myself deeper inside her and almost came right then, she was so warm and tight it was amazing. I thrust myself harder and deeper into her. Her screams of delight and bliss met every movement. She was gripping my shoulders with all her might.

Her nails dug into me as she reached her climax and at the feeling of her muscles tightening as she came, I came inside her. She collapsed on me and I held her close. We were still entwined as our breathing slowed.

This was the best night of my life.

Thalia's POV

I couldn't sleep, so I went out to the window—maybe some cool air would help?—and I saw Alec walking out of her cabin and heading toward the beach. I smiled—Alec and I had been spending a lot of time together—if anyone could help me get to sleep, it was her.

I got on some shorts and some boots, and then left my cabin to go toward the beach. Alec was sitting on the dock when I got there and she smiled as I walked up. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Not at all." I admitted. "I couldn't stop thinking. I don't even know what I was thinking about, but it was something." The two of us laughed.

"Wanna sit down?"

I smiled. "Thanks."

I sat next to her and we looked out at the water. Alec sighed, "Do you ever wonder what it would be like if you weren't a demi-god?"

I nodded. "All the time, but if I wasn't I wouldn't be seventeen, I wouldn't be miserable right now, and I probably wouldn't have met you."

She smiled at me. "You could get along fine without ever meeting me." she leaned in and whispered, "I tend to make people's lives suck."

We both laughed. "I don't think so, it would have been boring here if it weren't for you."

"It would be boring without you, too. Annabeth and Percy are stuck to each other like glue, Grover seems cool, but I don't really know him, and Nico . . . well, I don't really like him."

The two of us laughed again. "I can agree with you on that, only I know Grover more and he is really a nice guy, of course he has a lady friend in his life now, too."

"Life is so complicated." Alec sighed and ran a hand through her blonde hair; it fell back into place as if she hadn't touched, all but one strand. I reached up and pushed it behind her ear. Alec looked up and we locked eyes.

We stared at each other for a long moment, until Alec glanced out at the water. "What are you doing out here, Thalia?" She asked in a weird tone.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Alec looked back at me. "All this spending time with me, avoiding other people, always getting us out somewhere alone, what do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything." I protested. "I was just being nice—"

"You're not this nice to Percy." Alec interrupted.

"Well, I don't like Percy the way I like you." I said without thinking.

"And just how do you like me?"

I opened my mouth to talk but I couldn't find the words. I sighed, "I don't know."

Alec shook her head. "Well, come talk to me when you figure it out."

She started to get up but I snatched her arm in what seemed to be instinct. "Wait!"

Alec stared at me, waiting. I rocked back in forth not really knowing what I was trying to say. I liked Alec, very much. I locked eyes with Alec, opened my mouth to speak again, and—again—I couldn't think of anything. I looked away from her.

I stopped and took a deep breath. "I like you. I like you very, very much. I've had myself convinced to be only on a friendship level but now . . ." my voice trailed off and I looked back at Alec.

I started to talk again but something stopped me: Alec's lips.

She claimed my mouth and I didn't oppose. We kissed for a few seconds and then I pushed away. I stared at her and then I kissed her again.

This time it was hungry and lustful instead of romantic. When my breath began to get shallow, I pulled back again. I was shocked at myself, but a little excited. Alec stared back at me and I couldn't help it: I brought her mouth back to mine with amazing force.

Alec was startled for a second but she met me with just as much lust and passion as I gave her. My hands were on her neck and hers were around my waist.

My fear and shock boiled over and I shoved her away, got up, and ran as fast I can to my cabin. I was feeling more confused, scared, and—I can't believe I'm admitting this—horny, than I had ever felt in my life.

Alec's POV

I walked back to my cabin about ten minutes after Thalia ran off. I came inside and saw that Percy was awake, at first I thought he would gripe at me for breaking camp rules but instead he was lying on his bed smiling like a dork.

So glad he's happy, I thought. I flopped down on my bed and sighed.

Percy seemed to snap out of his happy little world. "Where were you?"

"The beach."

Percy eyed me. "What's wrong?"

I sighed and shook my head; I wasn't ready to have the "I'm bi" conversation yet. "What would you think if you kissed someone and they kissed you back, then they pushed you away and then kissed you again, and then pushed you away again, and then kissed you once more and then got up and ran off?"

Percy looked thoughtful, "I'd think they clearly liked you, but they were scared, or confused."

I sighed. "But what would you do?"

"I'm not sure." Percy was thoughtful again, and then something occurred to him. "Hang on, who have you been kissing?"

I shook my head and rolled over. "I don't want to talk about it. Can we go to bed?"

Percy sighed. "Alright, but you're going to come clean in the morning."

I shrugged and the light went out, tomorrow would bring answers—I just wasn't sure yet if I wanted some of them.


	4. choices

Annabeth's POV

The next morning, I rushed over to Thalia's cabin to tell her the news. I knocked on the door but didn't wait for her to answer. When I walked in Thalia had just gotten up from her desk. She was wearing a black mini skirt and a button up black shirt. Her boots were black and she had chains hanging off of each piece of clothing.

"You look hot!" I said smiling. "Are you trying to impress someone?"

Thalia smiled but shook her head. "What's up?"

"You will never believe what I'm about to tell you." I said in a totally girly voice.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I will."

I took a deep breath. "Percy and I, we did it!"

Thalia's eyes went wide. "What do you mean 'it'? Like it, it?"

I nodded. "I saw Alec walking out to the beach last night and I needed to talk to Percy. I went over there and next thing I know we were naked and he was pulling my off the ground and setting me on that little table thing in his cabin."

Thalia seemed speechless. "What was it like?" She finally asked.

"Totally hot! He was really sweet, he even asked to make sure it was what I wanted and when I told him yes, he did these amazing things to me!" I couldn't help the amount of detail that was spilling out of my mouth but I couldn't help it when I was around Thalia.

Thalia seemed very interested despite herself. "So was it like the slow picture perfect or did you go like totally apeshit?"

"Well, at first he went slow because it kind of hurt and then it started to not hurt so much so he went faster and then I guess it went hardcore, but I wouldn't say it was going apeshit." I explained.

Thalia sat back on her desk. "Wow, you guys really did it?"

"I wouldn't say that we did if we didn't." I said.

"But how did you know Percy was the right person?" Thalia asked. "How can you tell that something is a right choice for you?"

I wondered if she was talking to me or to herself. "Sometimes it's just knowing that you trust them enough to make that choice, sometimes it comes down to that one, life changing choice to know who is the right person to take a risk on. Percy was mine." I watched Thalia for a moment. "And now I'm wondering who you think yours is."

Thalia's head snapped up. "What are you talking about?"

"Thalia, don't bullshit me." I told her. "What's going on?"

Thalia sighed. "Last night—while you were fucking Percy—I went out to the beach. Alec and I were talking and, well, we kinda—she kinda . . . kissed me."

My mouth fell open. "Alec kissed you!" I shouted. Thalia hushed me and made me sit down because I looked like I was going to faint. "Well, did you kiss her back?"

Thalia bit her lip and nodded. "See she kissed me, but I kissed her back and then I realized what I was doing and I pushed her away. Then next thing I know, I'm kissing her again. And I was shocked and excited and scared and then I pushed her away again and then I kissed her again and then I was just so scared and shocked that I shoved her away, got up and ran back to my cabin."

I stared at her. "So Alec kissed you? You kissed back? You pushed her away and then kissed her again? Twice?" Thalia nodded. "Well, did you like it?"

Thalia groaned. "I don't know. I know I really like Alec, but that could just be because we are friends."

I watched her face and realized that she was really stressing about this. "Thalia, if I kissed you, would you kiss me back?"

Thalia frowned. "Annabeth, I don't think of you like—." She stopped when she realized what I had done.

"Well, if you like Alec enough, take a chance, but if you don't see it working or she doesn't mean enough for you to chance it then I guess that's your answer. Only you can't let fear control your actions, because in this case, fear is expected." I liked the look of relief on Thalia's face.

She smiled at me. "Thanks, Wise Girl."

We laughed and I gave her a hug. "This isn't turning you on, is it?"

Thalia pushed me away but we started laughing again. "Do me a favor?"

I nodded. "I won't say a word to Percy. That is a conversation Alec can have with him."

Percy POV

I was in a great mood this morning; I even brought Alec some chocolate dough nuts for breakfast. It didn't even affect my mood when she turned them down. "Fine! Miss out on the chocolaty goodness."

Alec rolled over and glared at me. "Whatever you and Annabeth fucked on, you better clean it."

I spit out the dough nut I had been chewing on. "What?"

"Oh, don't even play!" Alec snapped. "You have been one happy mother fucker since I came back last night. Then you want to buy me breakfast? Seems to me like someone worked off a lot of calories in the middle of the night, wonder how that happened. So you either had a really nice dream that you wacked off to or Annabeth made a little visit to the cabin."

I stared at her. Alec usually never let my mood bother her. She was always smiling and running off with Thalia. "What is wrong with you today?"

She glared at me. "I was just starting to like Annabeth and now I have to kill her?" She offered.

"That's bullshit!" I said. "Is it because of the kissing situation? You never did tell me who you had been kissing."

"And I never will." Alec said smartly. "Don't you have a class to be getting to?"

"Don't you?" I countered.

"I'm taking a sick day." She said.

"We don't have sick days, Alec." I informed her. "And you're not even sick."

Alec faked a cough. "Are you sure? I think I've come down with something."

I rolled my eyes. "You can't hide out here because you have boy drama."

"I do not have boy drama!" She protested. "You've got this all wrong!"

I stared at her seriously. "You're going to training, now get up and get dressed." Alec groaned loudly in rejection to the idea, but she did get out of bed. "And if you want to catch your lover boy's attention, wear something that fits you well."

She waved a hand at me, but then turned and smiled at me. "I would have gone to training today anyways. I am not going to miss the awkward 'morning after' conversation between you and Annabeth."

My face paled and Alec laughed.

Thalia's POV

I couldn't look away from Alec. She was wearing a low cut, black tank, short black shorts, a spiked color necklace—with matching earrings and bracelets—and black combat boots. Why did she have to dress like that? After what had happened last night she should be nice enough to cover up her legs and chest.

I couldn't help but watch Percy and Alec eating at the Poseidon table; it seemed to me that I was the only loner anymore. It used to be Percy, Nico, and I, but now Percy had Alec and Nico had Nox, I was all alone.

That was until Rachel ran up and sat next to me. "Are you going to hook up with Percy?" She whispered in a harsh voice, it was the first day Rachel was back at camp and my friends all turned to stared at us.

"What?" I whispered back through unmoving lips.

"I had a prophecy on the car ride here. '_Aphrodite's magic will do its work on the one's that are meant to be; almost one are a child of the wind and a child of the sea; the love is unexpected and they cannot explain; but they will give in, without love there's pain._' And it goes on to tell more." She snapped but she still kept her voice low.

"I'm not going to do anything with Percy." I told her.

Rachel eyed her suspiciously and then turned to look at Percy—and she noticed Alec. "Who is that girl?" Rachel turned to me. "She is really hot! Do you know if she, ya know, swings both ways? It is so much easier to release sexual tension with a girl than when you're with a guy, much less chance of being tempted to take it further."

I stared at her in shock and then shock turned to anger and anger turned to fury. "Her name is Alec and with ideas like that I'd stay away from her." I snapped a little louder than I had meant to.

Rachel seemed shocked. "Sorry, Thalia, I didn't know you guys were such close of friends. I didn't mean to offend her, it was just a comment."

I shrugged and went back to eating, only more aggressive than before.

"So who is Alec and why is she at Percy's table?"

I got really quiet. If I told Rachel about Alec and Percy, she would put the pieces together, but I couldn't stop her from knowing who Alec's father was. I took a deep breath. "Alec is Percy's half sister."

"Oh, well, I should have known that." Rachel laughed at herself then her eyes went wide and she stared at me.

When she had stared so long it made me uncomfortable I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Rachel leaned really close to me. "Are you and Alec . . . together?"

"No," I said. "Alec is over there and I am over here."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Do I?"

"Yes." Rachel pushed. "Thalia, I'm not going to tell anyone or try to steal your girl."

"Alec is not my 'girl'." I objected. "We're not together."

"But you want to be?"

"It's a new thing and I don't want to rush it." I sighed. "But, yes, I do."

"What's stopping you?" Rachel asked. "The fact that you've never been with a girl before? I mean, you haven't, have you?"

"No, I haven't." I rolled my eyes. "And Percy doesn't know about Alec."

"Oh, that is a problem." Rachel said.

"And besides we just met four days ago and we only kissed once, well, I guess, you could say—." I broke off suddenly.

"You guess I could say what?" Rachel hinted. "How many times have you two kissed?"

"Three times?"

Rachel's eyes went wide. "Wow. What was it like?"

"Can we not talk about this during breakfast anymore?"

"Oh, sorry, I better go say hi to everyone." Rachel got up but turned back to whisper, "Don't worry, I won't say anything to anyone."

***

Later that day, I was sitting on the porch to Zeus's cabin and everyone was out at the bond fire. I couldn't look at Alec anymore without thinking of how hot her legs were in the shorts she was wearing or how her shirt would allow you to see through it if she moved a certain way.

I decided that I would talk to Alec the next time we were alone. I had to tell her the truth; I had to tell her that I wanted to know where this new feeling would take me. I was shaking with anticipation and fear and desire.

I was wondering how long I could wait when I heard someone coming. My heart thumped as I realized who it was walking passed all the cabins in search of cabin three.

_Thank you, Aphrodite._

I ran off the porch and reached Alec just as she had opened her cabin door. She turned and started to ask me something but I didn't let her. Instead I slammed her mouth to mine and we kiss with such a passion that it caused my knees to get weak.

We stumbled inside the cabin and she closed the door behind us. Alec finally stopped the kiss, she was breathing raggedly and she fixed her eyes on mine. "You have got to stop that. Yesterday I was more confused than ever."

I sighed. "I wanted you to know that, I like you. I've spent all day trying to figure out whether it was as a friend or more and then Rachel showed up and was talking about you and wanting to know if you want both ways and I got angry. I had realized it earlier but at that moment I _knew_, Alec, I want you to be more than a friend.

"These feelings are new to me and they scare me, but I'm willing to risk it. For you. I want to find out more about these feelings that I'm having, but I want you to be the one who will help me. I know I'm not as experienced as you in this 'girl-on-girl' stuff but we can take it slow, right?"

I waited for Alec to answer me. She was staring at me with an emotionless expression, and then her face broke into a humongous smile. "I want to be with you, too, and we can take things as slow as you want, because I'm willing to risk everything for you, too."

I smiled back at her and then we were kissing. Her arms were around me so tight that it was hard to breathe, but it didn't bother me. I wanted to deepen the kiss and I knew Alec did to. I opened myself to her and our kisses turned into a hungry, make out session.

I didn't realize where my hands were going until they were on her chest, I had expected to uncomfortably fondle with her breast but I didn't seem to pause when my hands were in the right place.

I cupped her right tit in my hand and began rubbing and squeezing it. Alec's hands were firmly gripping my ass and it caused my skirt to wrinkly so that part of my butt was no doubt hanging out of the bottom. It didn't bother me though—all I wanted was Alec.

I wanted to touch her and feel her in more than just external ways. I didn't realize that we had been moving until I was pressed up against the wall. I felt Alec smile on my lips and I smiled also. I started pulling up Alec's shirt, but she grabbed my hands and pinned them over my head.

"Slowly, remember?" Alec said without there ever seeming to be a pause in the kiss.

I groaned and tried to pull my hands down, but Alec's hold on me didn't move. I couldn't help but think that if anyone else had done this, I would be furious, but this just made me feel . . . different than I had ever felt before.

"I think we have done enough kissing." I said. "I want to try something new."

Alec didn't seem to want to stop kissing me so she began kissing my neck as she spoke. "What is it you would like to try?"

Her breath was soft and warm on my skin and I could feel myself weakening. "Whatever you want, I'll do." I replied roughly.

"But we are on your pace, Thalia," She said darkly as she kissed the sensitive spot behind my ear. "I play your games, any one you want."

Her sweet breath and her seductive voice tied in with the meaning of her words made me moan. "Have you ever heard of the game 'Touch me'?" I asked.

Alec had switched sides and was now kissing the other side of my neck while my hands were still pinned to the wall. "I'm not sure how that one goes." She said against my skin and then she whispered in my ear, "But I'm a _really_ fast learner."

I moaned again at how so damn sexy Alec was. Her hands slid slowly down my arms, across my shoulders, and she cupped each of my breasts in each hand. My hands came down to hold her: one on her back and one in her hair.

She slowly slid her right hand from my tit, to my waist, up my skirt, and it cupped my ass. The only thing between her hand and grabbing my actual ass was my small, black, boy-short panties.

I was so turned on by her touch that it was shocking. I moaned at the way she whispered my name against my skin. "Oh, Alec, I want more."

Alec removed her hand from my butt and used it to lift up my thigh. She ground her waist against mine and just the way she was moving sent shock waves through my body.

I didn't know if Alec knew what this felt like or how it was affecting me, but I knew and it was amazing.

I pulled Alec's mouth back to mine and we began kissing in frenzy. I loved to touch her body and she seemed to feel the same about mine. "Alec, I—."

"Hey, Percy, I need to—." Nico froze and stared. "Holy shit!"

"Holy shit." Alec mumbled pulling away from me.

"Holy shit." I agreed.

**So . . . what do you think? Should I continue? How far should Alec and Thalia go? Should I have Aphrodite visit? I have lots of ideas but I need help.**

**R&R please!!!**


	5. Under Tow

Nico's POV

"Oh, fuck, Nico, what are you doing in here?" Alec shouted looking embarrassed and angry.

I stared at the two of them dazed. "What the fuck are _you_ doing in here?"

Alec crossed her arms over her chest. "This is my cabin, in case you didn't notice." She narrowed her eyes. "What I do is none of your business."

I nodded, if she wanted to play games I could play them to. "Well last time I checked this was also Percy's cabin; I think he would like to know what goes on here."

Alec's glare didn't even waver. "Way to nark me out, Nico."

I shrugged. "I don't see why I shouldn't."

Alec smiled as if she had been waiting for me to say that. Thalia suddenly slammed me against the wall and then Alec was right in my face. "If you do, I'll take your balls off with a box cutter."

I laughed. "Don't try to threaten me—what the fuck is that?" Thalia handed Alec a sharp object that—if I wasn't mistaken—looked very much like a box cutter.

"It's a box cutter." Thalia said simply.

"Hey, let's just hang on a second here," I said as Alec moved the blade up my thigh. "I mean, I never said I was going to tell Percy, I was just playing. I think what you guys were doing was hot. Why would I nark on you and risk never walking in on that again? I mean, I—."

"The point is, Nico, you never said you _wouldn't_ tell Percy—or anyone else." Alec said as the blade reached my sweet spot.

"I won't tell Percy anything." I swore.

I heard the fabric on my jeans ripping. "That's not good enough, Nico." Thalia said.

"You have to swear on the river Styx." Alec added.

I could feel the cold blade on my bare thigh. "Okay, I swear on the river Styx not to tell Percy about anything I saw in this cabin."

Alec and Thalia looked at each other and then Alec pulled the knife away from me. "Good. I would have never guessed Nico could make a smart decision like that."

I faked a laugh. "You are so going to pay for that."

"How?" Thalia asked. "You swore on the river Styx."

I smiled evilly and slid towards the door. "I swore not to tell _Percy_."

After that statement I tore out of there like a bat out of the underworld . . .

. . . And I ran to go find Annabeth.

Thalia's POV

I was shaking. "Who do you think he will tell?"

Alec shrugged. "All that matters is that we come up with a way to justify the fact that we were kissing."

"And that would be?"

Alec started to say something but then shook her head. "I hate to say this, but I think we need help from, well," she sighed, "Annabeth."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Alec nodded. "And I bet that's who Nico ran to tell. Of course, if he can't tell Percy, she might."

I bit my lip. "I kinda already told Annabeth. She gave me her word not to say anything, because that was your business."

Alec was surprised but shrugged it off. "You should call her before Nico finds her."

I pulled out my cell phone and used caller ID to get Annabeth. It rang twice and then she answered. "Hello?"

"Wise Girl, we have a problem." I told her. "We need your help but you have to avoid Nico."

"Why what's going on?" Annabeth sounded worried.

"Come over to Percy's cabin and we'll explain, but I mean it—don't talk to Nico."

"Okay, I'll be there in a few." She hung up and five minutes later—although it felt like hours—Annabeth came in. "Explain."

Alec and I told her what had happened when Nico had walked in and we told her what we thought he saw, but we really didn't know for sure. Annabeth sat in silence and listened to everything we had to say, only nodding every so often and she chewed on her lip as she thought.

"You could say that you had heard him coming and were just kidding, but the reaction afterward ruins that." Annabeth thought out loud. Her eyes brightened as an idea formed. "What if you said that Alec was teaching you how to kiss? That would explain why you were kissing and you could say that you wanted to know how to tease guys and how to react when they teased you."

"And when Nico finds you and tells you what happened, you could tell Percy. He will ask me and I'll try to pretend like I'm keeping a secret, but once he accuses me of liking Thalia I come clean and tell him the 'truth'." Alec put quotations around the word. "Damn, Annabeth, you're good."

Annabeth smiled. "I try. Oh, but I have to sneak back to the bonfire with the other kids so that Nico can spill his dirty information." She laughed. "Bye, guys."

Once she was gone, Alec and I smiled. "Disaster avoided." I said.

Alec nodded in agreement. "What do you think was the first thought that went through Nico's head when he saw us?" Alec laughed.

I smiled. "Probably, 'I used to hate those girls, but now I think they're hot'." Alec laughed at my imitation of Nico's voice.

"No I bet it was more like, 'this is great, now I have new jerk off images—all my old ones have gotten boring'." The two of us cracked up laughing.

"Well, I should go back to my cabin before the big freak out shows up." I said. I leaned over and gave Alec a kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Alec said smiling.

Alec's POV

I walked out to the beach. I needed to clear my head before the rush came and I had to lie to Percy's face. I was sitting at the docks just staring out over the lake.

"You don't have to lie to Percy." Said a voice from behind me.

I turned to see a man sitting next to me. He had black hair, sea green eyes, and a fishing hat. I jumped to my feet and he looked up at me. "Who are you?" I asked, although I think I already knew.

A sad look crossed his face for a brief moment. "Alec, I am your father, Poseidon, God of the sea."

I stared at him. "Why are you here?"

"I came to give you a gift, but then I caught some of the scheme you, Thalia, and Annabeth were coming up with and decided to wait for you here." Poseidon's eyes darkened. "If Zeus finds out what you are doing with his child he will not be as forgiving as I am."

I looked away from his eyes. "Wh—what are you talking about?"

Poseidon was suddenly on his feet. "You know damn well what I'm saying! You could get yourself killed over a phase!"

My head snapped up and I glare at him. "Would you even care? I have been closer to death and not heard a word from you and when I'm happy—truly fucking happy—you show up and tell me that it is all a phase! How would you even know? You would have never claimed me had Percy not asked for the gods to begin claiming their children!"

Poseidon was silent. He handed me a black case that looked like it would hold a necklace, the words "Under Tow" were in bronze, Greek lettering on the top. I opened it to see my gift setting in the satin.

"You have a strong will, I respect that. Percy had always gone with his heart on most subjects but he never questioned me when I told me to act a certain way, I would hope you would follow in his footsteps." Poseidon looked me right in the eyes as I tightened my fists and glared at him. "You have so much hate in you, but it will pass by—trust me."

"Trust you?" I asked in a voice barely audible. "You finally show up and I get told that you hope I'll end up just like Percy? What do you want? Do you want me to be nice to everyone, listen to your every command, and be straight?"

"What you are going through is no more than a phase." Poseidon said. "I only want you to understand the way Percy does, but I do not favor one of you more than the other."

I gave Poseidon a cold look. "You never made Percy give up on his love." I turned and walked away from the god, my father.

"I hope you don't get yourself killed. I didn't only claim you because Percy told me. You have a destiny greater than any demi-god has ever known." Poseidon called after me; I didn't even look back.

Percy POV

"Nico saw them doing _what_?" I asked Annabeth for the fifth time.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you." Annabeth said chewing her lip. "I should have asked Thalia and Alec about it first."

I shook my head. "Annabeth, it is fine. I just need to talk to Alec myself." I told her, but I realize that would be easier said than done. "I should get back to the cabin."

I stood up, gave Annabeth a kiss, and then walked over to cabin three. I took a deep breath before walking in.

Alec was sitting on her bed with her back toward me. I walked in and cleared my throat. "Hey, can I talk to you?" Alec just nodded. "Well, see Nico told Annabeth some stuff and she told me about it."

"What did Nico say?" Alec asked in a thick voice—if I didn't know that Alec never cried, I would have sworn she had been crying.

I coughed awkwardly. "Well he said that he walked in on you and Thalia. He said you guys were . . . kissing each other."

Alec shrugged. "So what?"

My eyes widened. "Were you?"

"It's not whatever you think it is."

I was dazed. "Well, what the fuck is it?"

"I can't tell you that." Alec said without ever turning to face me.

"Are you and Thalia gay for each other?" I asked in a rush of words.

"No!" Alec finally looked at me and her face was red with anger. "Thalia wanted to learn how to kiss so I was teaching her. Nico came in and his stupid fifteen-year-old mind had to make everything worse than it was and he ran off to go tell everyone shit that wasn't true."

I paused. "So you're not into chicks?"

"I never said that." Alec said staring at me.

I just stood there confused. "What?"

"That's right, Percy. I like girls. I'm bi and I want to stay that way." Her eyes started to tear up as she began yelling. "If you don't like that you can go fuck yourself! I don't plan on changing because this is who I am! I don't give a flying fuck what you or dad think of me! I can't help it that I'm not perfect like you! It's not my fault."

Alec's voice broke and she stormed off to the bathroom crying. I heard several things breaking and I tried to get the door to open. "Alec, open the door!"

She only screamed at me to go away. "Alec, stop breaking all our shit! What the fuck has gotten into you?" I yelled through the door.

That was when I noticed the black case sitting on the floor. I picked it up and examined it. "Under Tow?" I asked out loud. I opened the case and froze at what was inside: a pen.

Not just a normal pen, but it was a celestial bronze pen. It looked a lot like Riptide, as a matter of fact it was exactly like Riptide only a centimeter longer. "You saw dad today, didn't you?"

The banging in the bathroom stopped and I could hear Alec's rough breathing on the other side of the door. I heard her collapse to the floor and then the heartbreaking sobs afterward. I easily opened the door and—ignoring the mess—sat on the floor beside her.

I reached out and held her in my arms. Alec buried her face in my chest and continued to sob. "I can't be like you, Percy. I can't be who he wants me to be."

I held her and tried to calm her but she still sobbed. It was the first time in years that I resented my father. In his one visit to ever see Alec he had managed to break the unbreakable. I clenched my teeth on the curse words that were wanting to fly out of my mouth.

Alec ended up crying herself to sleep and I carried her to her bed. Her face was streaked with tears.

I covered her with a blanket and went outside. I realized as I got outside that it was pasted curfew. I thought about going to the beach, but decided I wasn't up to it.

"How is she?" A voice I recognized all too well asked.

"She'll be fine, Grover."

He sighed. "I heard the two of you yelling. I'm sure the people in some of the other cabins did to."

I huffed. "How much did you hear?"

"Just her yelling about if you don't like whom she is you can go fuck yourself and further on." Grover said. "Do you mind telling me what brought that on?"

I leaned my head back. "Poseidon dropped by to see her for the first time ever."

"I'm guessing it didn't go well."

"She spent the last hour crying about how she couldn't make him proud because she couldn't be like me." I reached up to rub my temples.

"Percy, the two of you have been in there since mid-night, and it's three in the morning." Grover informed me. "I just thought you would need someone to talk to when you came out so I waited."

"Thanks, Grover." I yawned. "I think I'll hit the sack though."

"Okay." He left without saying anything else.

I sighed, went inside, and fell asleep fast.

***

The next morning we were eating breakfast and Alec barely spoke. Rachel was sitting with Thalia and they were laughing about something. I sighed and went back to eating.

"Chiron, come quick!" Thalia screamed suddenly. I looked up to see that Rachel had frozen and her eyes were not hers, but the glowing green eyes of the Oracle.

Rachel's voice was strange and distorted but I could recognize the words she spoke and they sent shivers down my spine.

"_Eight will leave the camp to search for the unknown  
Eight brave warriors; the courage has been shown  
The two from Death and the two from the sea  
The Hunter will keep them all on key  
War will mark their way for others will follow  
Friends with be left in pain to wallow  
Wisdom will keep them on the right track  
Although they leave, some will not come back_"


	6. the meeting

**I know that the previous chapter ended really shity but it was getting to long and I needed to cut some of it down. I hope I can make up for it in this chapter. R&R!**

Max's POV

"What does that mean?" A girl asked.

"Who knows? The Oracle is spitting out weird shit all the time." A boy told her.

I sat there and stared at Rachel as Chiron carried her away. "What do you think she meant by 'War'? That has to be a child of Aries right?"

Every kid at my table turned to stare at me. "If you want to go off with those kids, be our guest." A girl named Danni said. "There is no way in the Underworld we are taking our happy asses out of this camp to go with them on a death mission."

I ate my food in silence while I thought.

Nox's POV

Nico and I stared at each other. "We have to go, don't we?" Nico asked.

"Well, we can't go against the Oracle." I said. "No matter how stupid of mission she wants us to go on."

"It said some might not come back."

I looked Nico in the eyes. "I'll make sure you come back to camp safe. Okay, little bro?"

He laughed. "Yeah, but don't spend the whole time making sure I don't get left behind. You have to try to have fun on the suicide death mission."

I laughed with him and we ate the rest of our meal without worry. I didn't tell Nico that I would rather me not come back than him and that I had already decided—if it came down to it—Nico would be the one coming home.

Annabeth's POV

I sat at my table and watched Chiron and Thalia walk Rachel to the Big House. I thought over the words of the Oracle. It was evident that Percy, Alec, Thalia, Nox, and Nico would be going on the mission but who would the other three be?

I wasn't about to let Percy go off and wait here to see if he lived or died. Could I handle it if he didn't come back? I waved off the question, Percy always came home.

I left my table and began my way to the Big House; I was going to make sure I got a spot on the list. I needed to know what was going on.

And Chiron knew—as soon as he saw me walking on the path—that I wasn't leaving without answers.

Alec's POV

I wasn't sure what the prophecy had meant. I did know that Percy, Nox, Nico, Thalia, and I would be going on this quest. I knew it was dangerous. I knew there was a chance some of us wouldn't make it back.

What would Annabeth do without Percy? What would Max do without Nox? How would I deal with the death of my brother? This quest would put a lot of emotions on edge and I knew that that was never a good thing.

"What are you thinking?" Percy asked me.

I shrugged. "I'm thinking about what I should pack."

"I hate packing." Percy sighed.

I smiled. "Why? Is it because you have to figure out what's clean and what's not?"

Percy laughed. "No!"

"Uh huh."

Thalia's POV

Chiron told me to get Rachel some water and I followed his order. "What do you think the prophecy means?" I asked as I handed him the glass.

"Let's wait for Annabeth to enter; I would hate to repeat myself." Chiron gave Rachel the water and she drank it slowly.

As if on cue, Annabeth came in the door. "Chiron, what—."

"Sit down, please, and I will tell you my theory." Chiron told us. We followed instructions quickly. "A little while ago, Zeus and Artemis were in an argument—the one that ended in Thalia coming back to camp—and that argument is still happening."

"What was it about?" Annabeth asked.

"There was a beast. The kind no God or Demi-god has ever recorded seeing. Zeus wanted it killed, Artemis didn't. She wanted to learn about it, but Zeus forbade her from going after it for any other reason apart from killing it."

"So that must be what it means by 'the unknown'. This beast is what we have to find, but I don't understand why." I said. "If we kill it, we are on Artemis's bad side and if we seek it out and capture it, we are on Zeus's bad side."

"Well, the beast ended up attacking Artemis's Hunters a few days ago." Chiron told us. "I was under orders not to tell you, Thalia, or I would have."

When I nodded at him, he continued. "It killed several of the Hunters and has left Artemis lying in bed feeding on ambrosia. She has not spoken of the event, but has been caught shouting at things in her sleep that tell the gods she had witnessed something horrible."

I jumped to my feet. "Well, then we have to go find that son of a bitch and rip its fucking head off."

"Not so quickly, my dear." Chiron hushed me. "First you must decide upon the other three to join you. I think the prophecy has hinted at two of them."

I could see the wheels turning in Annabeth's head. "It says 'Wisdom will keep them on the right track' could mean someone from the Athena cabin—A.K.A. me and you can't stop me from going—and 'War will mark their way for others to follow' could mean someone from the Aries cabin."

"But who is the last person?" I asked.

"I'll go." Rachel offered. We turned to her and stared. "Hey, I lasted through the Labyrinth, I'm sure some creature of darkness isn't much worse than that."

"We will have to call the others in for a meeting." Chiron said. "If they agree, you may go."

Rachel smiled. "Thank you."

Percy's POV

The meeting was directly following breakfast. The room was packed full of people—including the entire Aries cabin. Alec and I sat together, Annabeth was on my right side holding my hand under the table. Chiron told us about the argument between Zeus and Artemis, the creature, and the attack on the Hunters that had left Artemis and the surviving Hunters in shock.

"Why is the Aries cabin here?" Max asked when he was finished speaking. "The prophecy says only eight can go."

"The prophecy mentions war as if it is a person," Rachel explained. "We assume it is one of the members of the Aries cabin."

"So we all have to agree on which member of the Aries cabin goes?" Nico asked.

"First, we will see which members of the Aries cabin would even want to risk their lives on such a mission." Chiron said. He looked at each member of the cabin. "If you do not want this, we will not force it upon you."

Several members left the room, only Max and a boy named Nick stayed. Max was strong and tough, but she had also never been on a quest before. Nick had been on one quest, but he was still only twelve so in the end Max was the one chosen to go.

"Who are the next two?" I asked.

Alec spoke for the first time since the meeting had started. "The Oracle said 'Wisdom' so I'm assuming that means someone from the Athena cabin and that means Annabeth because she wouldn't let Percy go on a life-or-death mission without her."

"That's right." Annabeth said and she smiled at me.

"And I'm assuming the Oracle, herself will be joining us on this mission as well." Alec added.

"That is true." Rachel agreed.

Alec stood and yawned. "Well, does anyone disagree with that?" She looked around and when no one said anything she nodded. "If that is the case, we are done here and should probably go pack."

She stretched as if she were bored and left the room. Everyone stared at her as she walked away.

"She is right." Chiron told us. "This quest is going to bring many challenges; you must be ready for them."

"Chiron, when are we leaving?" Thalia asked.

"As soon as the sun sets." Chiron said. "The gods have learned that the beast travels at night so that will be your best chance for catching it."

"So we leave at sun set. Pack your gear and spend the rest of the day resting or with someone important—we are going on a serious life-or-death mission." I stood and locked eyes with each person in turn. "Not everyone will be coming back."

**Sorry for the boring chapter! I'll have to post really soon and I promise it will be within the next three days . . . Well, I'll try. Sorry for following a cliffie with this shit but I'll try and make it up to yall.**

**R&R!!!**


	7. that was a life changer

**Okay, even though i promised this chapter would be up soon, i didn't think i would get it up THIS soon. So anyways . . . R&R!!**

Thalia's POV

I went over to Alec's cabin after the meeting. I tapped on the door and then she answered it slowly. "I don't want you to go on the quest."

I was taken aback. "What?"

"I can't have you risking your life like that." She told me totally serious.

"You can't make me stay!"

"But I can ask you to."

I scoffed. "Well, to fucking bad, I'm going."

Alec's jaw was clenched and she nodded. "Well, you better go pack then."

"Yeah," I said as I stormed away from the door.

Alec didn't even say a word. She closed the door and went back to whatever she was doing before I showed up.

I stormed into my cabin and slammed the door. I wasn't sure why I was mad but I knew I was. I packed my clothes and supplies with more aggression than necessary.

Once I was finished, I was too hyped up to sleep. I got out my boxing gloves, I-pod, and the boxing bag and I began training. I was really getting into my work out. I was fully focused on fighting the enemy—A.K.A. the boxing bag.

I was totally in the zone when I felt something touch me on the shoulder. Working on pure instinct I turned and slammed the person against the wall.

I realized who it was after she smacked the wall with megga force. My eyes widened and I yanked off the gloves and my head phones. "Alec, I'm—."

Her hand came up and smacked me hard. I stared at her in shock but then it was replaced with the last thing I would have thought it would be replaced with: lust. I noticed a dark and seductive look in her eyes.

I pushed Alec against the wall again. Alec smiled and grabbed my arm, spun, and pinned me against the wall. "You're incredibly hot when you're training."

I smiled evilly and kissed her. She kissed me back passionately. I realized the window curtain was open and I pulled away to close it—I locked the door for obvious reasons.

"Are you locking me in here?" Alec asked playfully as she kissed my neck.

I kissed her again. "Yeah, how does it feel being kept against your will?"

Alec laughed. "I'm surprisingly comfortable with it."

We began kissing again. The strange fire that was following through my body was something I had never felt before. The way Alec kissed and touched me was sweet, but rough—I was strangely turned on by it.

I began to step forward, leading Alec backwards. Once she was in the right place, I pushed her down onto my bed. I crawled up to where I could kiss her again and we smiled.

Suddenly Alec pulled away. "I'm sorry I told you I didn't want you to go. It's just that I don't want you hurt and I was scared and angry that if something was meant to happen to either of us I wouldn't be able—."

I cut her off with a kiss. "You don't have to worry." I kissed her again. "Zeus and Poseidon won't let anything happen to their little girls."

At her father's name Alec seemed to freeze. "Thalia—we can't . . . I mean, your father . . . he doesn't really care for me as is and with this," She motioned to how we were positioned right now. "He's going to flip if—when—he finds out."

I sighed. "We are about to go on a quest to where one, both, or neither of us will come back." I locked eyes with her and I saw the same want and desire I had. "What I'm saying is that we will worry about our following actions when we get back."

Alec thought about that and then eyed me curiously. "What exactly are our following actions going to be?" her face broke into a smile that lit up her face and turned me back on.

"Do you want me to tell you?" I sat up to where I was straddling her waist and took off my shirt. "Or do you want me to show you?"

Alec was staring at me like I was the most beautiful thing on the planet. "Show me."

I smiled. "If that's the way you want it . . ." I leaned down and we began a _very_ hot, _very_ heavy make out session.

Percy's POV

Alec had left to go see Thalia five minutes before Annabeth came in the cabin. She eyed me—I was wearing only jeans and my chest was exposed—then she looked around the room. "Where is Alec?"

"At Thalia's."

She suddenly slammed my mouth on hers and kissed me with a burning intensity. When she pulled back I was gasping for air. "What was that?"

"I'm not leaving on this quest where some of us are _certain_ to not come back without you knowing how much I love you." She said with absolute seriousness. "Because I do; I love you, Percy, with everything in me."

I stared at her in shock. Annabeth had never out-right told me that she loved me. "I love you, too." I realized it was the first time I had said this to her also, but she didn't seem shocked—more that she was relieved.

She slammed her mouth back on mine and we began kissing again. It was somewhat sloppy, but in the heat of the moment it was okay. "I really do love you."

"I've loved you since you told me I talked in my sleep." I told her.

She laughed between our kisses. "I've loved you since I heard you talk in your sleep."

Now that we had finally said "those three words" we couldn't seem to stop. I believe we said very corny lines, laughed about them, and all the while we never once stopped kissing.

I knew this was starting to make me hard, but I didn't want to drag sex into this "lovey-dovey" moment—no matter how corny it was. I know that's not something most guys would say, but I really did love Annabeth.

Of course, a guy can't control the fact that when a girl has herself pressed close against you, she is likely to notice when you're getting a boner. Instead of pulling away and looking embarrassed—like she had done before—she grabbed my belt buckle.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked—mostly out of habit.

Annabeth smiled. "Percy, I can't leave for this mission without feeling as close to you as I had that first night. I just can't."

We looked into each other's eyes—I was surprised to realize that hers had tears in them—and I nodded. Then she took off her shirt and pushed me down onto the bed.

This time was different from the first time—then we had been nervous, smiley, and we giggled a lot—now we were kissing, touching, holding each other as if it was the last time we would ever get the chance.

We ripped each other's clothes off and were soon fucking like no tomorrow—which, in our case, is very possible. Annabeth was holding me against her and she was moaning in my ear. She would tell me how she loved me and then follow that with how good I was at fucking her, a very Annabeth thing to do.

Annabeth arched her back when she climaxed. I moaned her name when I came inside her. After we were finished we laid there—with me still inside her—as our breathing slowed and we returned to reality.

Thalia's POV

Alec was kissing me in all the places I wanted to be kissed. I ran my hands up her back and unclipped her bra. Alec pulled away from me. "Thalia, are you trying to get me naked?" She asked playfully.

I grinned at her and pulled her mouth back to mine. While we were making out, Alec freely allowed me to take her bra off of her bra and throw it to the floor. She slid her hands behind my back and lifted me off the bed a few inches so that she could undo my bra. Once we were both braless the kissing and touching got more intense and hungry.

All I wanted was her body and she must have felt the same way. Alec began to kiss my neck, she moved to my collarbone, and then she kissed my breast. Alec licked my right nipple and kissed me right in the middle of my boobs. I moaned as she continued to kiss me and she started to kiss lower.

Suddenly Alec hesitated. She came back up to my mouth and I frowned in confusion. "Why did you stop?" I asked.

"I got carried away." She said, "We're going at your pace, not mine."

I pulled away to look her in the eyes. "Alec, I want to go at your pace now."

"You sure?"

I nodded and kissed her. Alec was started kissing and touching me again. Alec's hands pulled up my skirt and grabbed a fist full of the material my panties were made of. She wanted to take it off of me, I could tell. She really didn't want to rush me. I grinned evilly, "Rip them."

Alec followed my command and pulled it away as if it were nothing. Her fingers ran up the insides of my thighs and I shivered. My breathing was shallow and I moaned with desire. I could feel myself getting wet in anticipation of Alec's move.

Alec never stopped kissing me as she rubbed my pussy. I moaned her name and she moaned mine in return as she slid two fingers inside me. I gasped in pleasure and moaned louder. She spun her fingers in a strange pattern that sent electrical currents down my legs.

Alec massaged my clit and I was moaning her name loudly. "Oh, gods, I want more." I moaned in her ear. She was moaning at my sounds of pleasure and she was kissing my neck constantly.

"Please, Alec, give me more." I pleaded. "I want you."

Alec slid in another finger and I tightened my grip on her shoulders as I cried out in delight. I could feel myself stretching to fit her fingers and that caused some pain but the pleasure was too good to pass. I couldn't control the moans that were slipping passed my lips as she speed up her pace.

Alec would go slowly and then start fast, once I got to where I was literately screaming her name, she would slow back down. I couldn't stand this anymore. I pulled her lips away from mine so I could whisper in her ear as sexily as possible for me. "Alec, do it. Oh, gods, I want you to make me cum."

At first I thought she had ignored me and then I realized she was slowly speeding up her pattern. I was clutching her shoulders and moaning her name. Suddenly, Alec flicked her fingers and they began to tap my clit. I dug my nails into her and she didn't seem to notice.

Alec flicked her fingers once, twice, a third time, and it was the fourth time that sent me over the edge. I cried out her name as I came on her hand. Alec kissed me and rolled onto her back breathing hard.

I smiled at her and then had a thought. This time I rolled to where I was propped up on my elbow by Alec's side. I kissed her and put my hand on her breast. I opened my mouth and Alec seemed surprised when I was the one to put my tongue in her mouth first, but she didn't object.

I slid my hand from her tit down her stomach, causing her to shiver with pleasure. I didn't just stop at her stomach; I ran my hands down to her shorts. I unbuttoned them easily and pulled them down just enough to slide my hands into her pants and panties.

I was slightly surprised to find out that Alec was wet and I was happy when she moaned my name. I let two fingers slid inside her and her answering sounds of pleasure sent shivers down my spine. I spun my fingers in very fast circle inside her.

Alec pushed herself closer to me and cried out. I continued to spin my hand inside her as I kissed her breast. Alec knotted her hand in my hair and moaned my name. "Thalia, that's _so_ good."

I kissed her, slid my tongue in her mouth, and slid another finger inside her pussy. I felt more than heard her moan. "Oh, gods . . . Thalia, I . . . you're so . . . fucking amazing!" Alec said between making out and moaning.

Alec began to rock her hips in turn with my hand. She started grinding her pussy against my hand and just feeling her warm, wet insides almost made me cum again. Alec buried her face into my neck and screamed as she came.

I smiled and rolled onto my back. "That was a life changer."

Alec sat up and looked at me. "Have you been with a girl before?"

I laughed. "No," I leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I'm just a _really_ fast learner."

**I know I apologized for the shitty ending of the previous chapter and I promised to make up for it in this one, but I hadn't planned on writing the "Thalia and Alec" part but it happened. I know some people had asked me to make them go all the way but I don't know if other's think I took them too far.**

**R&R, please!!!**


	8. The small pink pox

Max's POV

That night we were leaving camp and I glanced at everyone who was walking up the hill. They were quiet and focused. They even looked scared. I found that a little strange judging by all the stories my cabin members told me.

I caught a glimpse of a man at the top of the hill leaning against a motorcycle. He was looked like a normal biker but his aura was different. I got the strange feeling that—behind his sunglasses—he was shooting sparks at me.

"Max!" His voice boomed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

I eyed him up and down. "Uh, going on a suicide mission." I didn't know this guy, so I didn't care what he thought about my decisions.

"Percy, did you talk my daughter into risking her li—?" the man started to say.

"Daughter?" I asked and then my eyes widened in shock. "You're my father?"

"Yes, I am. Nice to meet you," he said absently. "Now Percy did you convince my daughter to go on this mission with you?"

"No!" Percy said. "She came on her own."

Aries looked at me strangely and then he sighed. "Very well. You take this with you." He handed me a dagger from a bag on his bike. "I don't know what good it will do but at least it's better than that plain old thing." He waved his hand vaguely to my sword.

The dagger blade wasn't impressive—just plain celestial bronze—but the handle was another story. The very end was a boar's head covered with flames, with more flames that led the rest of the way up the handle. "Thanks." Was the only thing I could think to say.

"Don't mention it." He pulled up my chin to where I was looking him in the eyes—or would have if it weren't for the glasses—and he spoke in a serious tone. "Don't mention it."

I nodded. "My word."

He nodded back, hopped on his bike, and rode away. I stared after him and put the dagger in my boot.

Percy's POV

I hadn't been on to many life-threatening quests since the battle in New York, but I was pretty sure they never let you take your own car. It might have been because I didn't have one then but I didn't think so.

My hummer wouldn't fit all eight of us comfortably so the Camp offered to let someone else drive the van. At first I thought Annabeth would jump at the idea but she stayed quiet. Instead Alec ended up driving the van although Chiron didn't seem to like the idea, he agreed.

Alec wasn't smiling, but she wasn't sad either; it was as if she had no emotion, no expression. She nodded at me, there was a look in her eyes that said "if you die, I'll follow you to the Underworld and kill you" then it was gone and she climbed into the driver's side of the van.

Thalia gave Annabeth a hug and then got in on the passenger's side. Nox and Max got in the back seat. Rachel and Nico climbed into the back seat of the hummer, Annabeth into the passenger side, and of course I was driving.

Annabeth and I held hands as we drove down the road and Nico and Rachel glared silently out the window. I didn't know what their problem was but I didn't really care. This whole quest I knew Annabeth would be my number one concern.

Alec's POV

Once we were headed down the road, Max leaned forward. "It's nice to finally see you."

I glanced back at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you have been hanging out with this one," She jerked her thumb in Thalia's direction. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"As if you weren't with Nox." I said, keeping my eyes on the road.

"That's not the point. You can't ditch your first girl for your new one."

Thalia turned to Max. "I don't know where you're from, but that is exactly what happens when you get with someone new. And I didn't see you making an effort to hang out with her?"

I shook my head at Thalia and she realized that she had just confirmed that we were together. She bit her lip and looked out the window, her cheeks flaming.

I caught Max's smirk in the mirror. "It's sad that I have to trick her into telling me, Alec. I thought we were best friends."

"The more people who know, the more we are at risk." I said shortly. I wasn't going to mention that my father already knew; I didn't ever want to think of him again. If it hadn't been for Percy's nagging, I would have left Under Tow at home. I still hadn't opened it to look at the sword, if I had my way, I would never open it.

"Oh, I see." Max said. She and Nox were holding hands in the back seat.

"For the record," Nox spoke up. "I totally knew."

"No you didn't!" Every girl in the van said at the same time and then we all laughed.

Thalia smiled tightly at me, reached over the console, and took my hand in hers. I gave a little half smile back and then looked back at the road. Percy's hummer was leading the way into the night and I couldn't help but think of what _could_ happen.

Percy _could _die. Annabeth _could_ die. Nico, Max, Nox, all of us _could_ die, but I would do anything to stop that from happening. I knew this was going to be a long, nerve-racking quest.

***

Three weeks after leaving camp we had gotten very little traces of the beast. We had tracked it from New York to Georgia to Kentucky and now we've gone as far as the Mexico border.

The sun was rising so we stopped in Texas—I'm not telling you where—to rest. Percy got us two suits. Max, Nox, Nico and Rachel were going to be sharing a suit while Thalia, Percy, Annabeth, and I would have the other.

Each suit was two bedrooms. Percy glanced at me. "You and Thalia will share a room."

I smiled slightly. "You and Annabeth will have the other."

An hour later Annabeth and I went to the store to get some food and drinks for everyone. Annabeth had been acting weird all day and I was surprised when she asked me to come to the store instead of Percy.

Annabeth insisted that I go get the food and she would get the drinks so that way we could get back faster and I didn't argue. At the checkout line I noticed that Annabeth got really chatty. She kept pointing at things on the shelves and kept glancing nervously at the checkout line. We got our things and Annabeth put them in the back of the van, I didn't say anything when I saw her slip something into her bag.

"Annabeth, what's going on?" I asked as soon as she was in the passenger seat. I turned to look at her instead of starting the van.

"What do you mean?" She asked looking at everything but me.

I pointed out what I noticed in the store and the way she had been all day. "So you can either tell me what is going on with you or I can check your bag to see for myself. Which way is it going to be?"

Annabeth stared out the windshield for a minute. "Fine." She lifted her purse, pulled out a box, and threw it at me. "That's my big secret."

I stared at the small pink box in my lap and couldn't form a coherent statement at first. "You're . . ." I started, took a breath, and began again. "You mean to tell me that you might be pregnant?"

Annabeth glared out the window. "Seems like it, huh?"

I handed the box back to her, started the van, and pulled out of the parking lot. "Does Percy—."

"No!" She answered before I could finish. "I don't want to worry him if it turns out to be nothing."

I nodded. A block before we got to the hotel I pulled into a gas station. "Then you might want to take it here. Percy could find the box if it's in the hotel trash."

Annabeth stared at me in shock and gratitude. "You're not going to tell him?"

"If it's negative, I won't have to." I told her. "But If it's . . . not, well, you didn't say anything to Percy about me and Thalia so I guess I owe you one."

Annabeth hugged me and smiled for the first time in a long time. "Thank you!" She opened the door and started to walk away but then turned back. "Can I ask you one more little favor?"

"What?"

"Can you maybe . . . come inside with me?" She looked nervous. "I don't want to have to sit in there alone while I'm waiting for the answer."

I sighed. "Okay."

Inside the bathroom Annabeth paced quickly. "How many lines does the box say?"

"One is what you want." I told her and then I rethought it. "Well, one means no."

She understood my hidden question. "Yes, Alec, one is the line I want."

After another minute I got impatient. "How long have we been waiting?"

"Three minutes." She answered immediately. "Do you think we should look?"

"Well the box said five minutes but if your eggo is preggo then I bet it will have two lines by now." I watched her stare at the box. "Are you going to look?"

Annabeth didn't answer, instead she began to cry. Silent tears fell down her cheeks and she reached up to hide her face. I crossed the room and put my arms around her. "Percy is going to kill me."

"No he won't, he loves you too much." I told her.

"I'm so stupid." She shook her head. "I can't look at it."

I sighed. "What if I looked?"

Her head snapped up quickly. "Would you?"

I let go of her and went over to the sink. I lifted the paper towel that Annabeth had used to cover it and looked at the line—or I should say . . . _lines_!

"Oh, shit!" I said without meaning to.

"What?" Annabeth asked skeptically from across the bathroom. "What does it say?"

I held it out to her. "You should look."

"It has two lines, doesn't it?" Annabeth began to cry again. "I'm pregnant, aren't I?"

I nodded. "Seems like it, huh?"

Annabeth grabbed the stick and threw it in the trash. "It's wrong! That is just a cheap piece of shit! It can't be right!"

"So you should take the other one in the morning." I told her. "I heard that it's better to take those tests in the morning. It has something to do with the hormone balance or whatever."

"It's seven in the morning!" Annabeth snapped at me. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to be angry at you."

"It's fine." I told her. "But we should be heading back now so you should try to calm down."

Annabeth nodded and took deep breaths. "How do I look?" She asked once we were back in the van. "Do I look like I've been crying?"

I eyed her. "Your cheeks are red but that could be because it's morning and kinda chilly."

She nodded. We got to the hotel, grabbed the groceries, and went up the stairs to our room. Annabeth kicked the door and Percy opened it.

"Where have you guys been?" He took some of the bags and we went inside the suit.

"I was looking at some stuff." I told him. "I kind of got carried away."

"What was so interesting?" Thalia asked as she pulled her sandwich out of a bag.

I gave her a joking look. "I saw this really hot girl. She had long, brown hair, tan, legs a mile long, and just a rocking body."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Okay, I know you told me you were into girls, but I don't need to hear you talk about them all the time." Percy said handing out the sandwiches.

"Percy knows you're into girls?" Nico asked. "Does he know about everything else?"

I shot him a death look. "Yeah, he knows Thalia and I made out once, thanks to some little brat that couldn't keep his mouth shut!"

Nico looked at me innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"That's what I'd say to, little bro." Nox laughed. "I'm going to go eat this in my room and then pass out, anyone like to join me?"

Nico, Max, and Rachel agreed. They said their good-byes and then left. Once we finished our food, Thalia and I went to our bathroom—I swear next this room was going to have two kitchens—brushed our teeth and lay down.

I leaned over to give her a kiss but she pulled away. "What?" I asked.

"If you want to kiss someone, you can kiss that girl from the store." She rolled over and I stared at her in shock.

"Thalia, are you serious?" When she didn't answer I sighed. "I wasn't looking at a girl."

Thalia rolled over and glared at me. "Then what the hell took you guys so long?"

"I promised I wouldn't say anything. If you want to know you can ask Annabeth."

Thalia eyed me for a minute. She suddenly sighed and gave me a kiss. "You're lucky I can tell when you're lying."

"Well obviously you can't or you would have never gotten mad." I joked.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Go to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am." We laughed together. I thought about what we could be doing right now but after what I had seen Annabeth go through in the gas station bathroom—even though I knew it wouldn't happen to me—made my stomach queasy at a thought of touching anyone in a sexual way.

Don't get me wrong I would love to fuck Thalia any—hell, more like every—day of the week but just not this time—not after what had gone down this morning. So instead of rolling over to kiss her on the neck and taking everything up a level, I rolled over and went to sleep.

Percy's POV

Annabeth was in the shower for a long time. I got up and went to the door. "Annabeth, are you going to use all the hot water?"

I heard some fumbling around in the bathroom and then the water shut off. "Sorry, I lost track of time."

I frowned. Annabeth wasn't one to lose track of anything. "Are you okay?"

Annabeth opened the door—wearing only her bra and panties—and shrugged. "I've been better."

"What's wrong? Do you feel okay?" I asked. Annabeth never complained so you never knew when she was sick until she barfed on everything.

She nodded slowly. "I just need some sleep. I'll be fine." She put on a shaky smile.

I nodded. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Annabeth and I climbed into the bed and she pulled my arms around her. "I have everything I need right here."

**I'm going to write more soon, so don't get mad because I also know that this chapter sucks. It was just getting to long so I had to end it at some point.**

**Just think of this as a kick off to the next chapter that I hope to have up really soon. Next chapter is where I'm hoping to start the REAL quest maybe the first encounter with the monster. If you have any idea what the monster should be R&R!!!!**

**Need help!**


	9. Ashley bites

Thalia's POV

The night was black. The moon was like a lightening bug in a cellar: it was just a dim glow. Artemis must be really weak.

"Thalia, stop staring at the moon and move." Percy snapped at me.

I gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Perce, I got distracted."

The woods we were searching made it hard to see anything, but we could all feel the presence of a creature. It was lurking somewhere in these woods and we were determined to find it.

"This is the most boring quest we've ever been on." Annabeth complained as she walked a few paces ahead of the rest of us. We entered a small clearing and she growled. "We have passed this place already! I think we are lost."

"The monster could just be going in circles." Nico offered. "I can feel it has been here."

Alec spoke up for the first time all night. "The monster must be lost as well."

"I just don't get—." Max started to say, but the ground beneath us began to shake and tremble. Soon it completely gave way and we were falling down—what I imagined—was the rabbit hole Alice had gone through in that one movie.

I landed in a pitch black room with a hard thud. "What the _fuck_!" I shouted uncontrollably.

"Where are we?" Nox asked.

"I don't know, but I think we'll find out soon enough." Percy told him.

Without warning, a light flooded the room. It was still dim, but it was enough so that I could see the figure in front of me. She was a girl about 12 or 13 years old and she was covered in blood.

My heart went crazy when I realized that I knew her. "Ashley? What are you doing down here?"

Ashley was wearing the same clothes she had been wearing when I had left. She turned to me—her eyes were red and evil—and smiled evilly. "You cannot escape from the tomb you have been placed in."

The lights came on full blast and I had to hold up a hand to keep from going blind. The room was surrounded with mirrors and I could see every face in the room, even half of them weren't looking at me.

"Ashley, what happened to you?" I asked.

Ashley had blood all over her. She looked as if she had just slaughtered someone. She began to smile again and blood dripped from her chin. "Master says that only one of you must stay alive. I get to have the rest for lunch."

I grimaced as she licked her blood-covered lips. I stepped forward and reached out to her. "You don't have to do this. You can come with us, we will fix you up."

Ashley stared at me for a while and then she leaped at me. I felt something pull me backwards so hard I fell to the ground, and then the object that had pulled me back spun and gave Ashley a snap kick that landed right below her jaw.

Alec's POV

The slight tensing it Ashley's leg muscles tipped me off. I reached out, grabbed Thalia's backpack, and pulled her back so hard that it caused her to land on her ass. I snap kicked Ashley and she stumbled back a couple steps.

I grabbed her arm and spun behind her. Ashley howled in pain. "Get off me!"

"How do we get out?" I snarled in her ear.

"Let go of me!" Ashley jerked hard causing me to lose some of my grip. I had to put my free arm around her neck to hold her.

"No," I snapped. "You can be still and show us the way out or I can rip your fucking head off, take your pick because either way I'm solid."

Ashley gave a harsh jerk and my arm moved for a fraction of a second . . . but that was all the time it took. My arm was right in front of Ashley's mouth and she bit down hard.

Pain and fire exploded all the way up to my shoulder. I clenched my teeth on an agonized scream and pulled her arm out of socket. Ashley opened her mouth to yell and I pulled my arm away.

Her teeth had broken the skin and sank incredibly deep into my flesh and muscle. Blood ran all the way down to my fingers and dripped on the floor.

Ashley moved hella fast and she almost got away, but Percy grabbed her by the shirt and she was yanked back hard.

I walked calmly over to Percy and took that stupid bitch off his hands. I slammed her to the floor and reached for her throat. "Please!" Ashley was suddenly scared and crying. "Please help me! I can't control what it makes me do!"

Her voice is what made me pause. When she had first spoke it was venomous and evil, now it was the voice of a terrified teenage girl. "Can you get us out?"

Her green eyes held tears. "You have to go through the exit—over there—and keep to the right, it's the third or fourth door I don't remember, but be careful. One of those doors has—."

She broke off and her eyes lost the fear, they held the evil look that she had when we first saw her. "You won't reach the exit. You'll have to kill me first!"

"That can be arranged." Nico said coldly. "Alec, get on with it so we can get out of here."

I stared at the creature under me. "If I kill whoever is in her body that means killing what is left of her."

"We have to do it." Percy said sadly. "It won't let us out."

I lifted my fist and brought it down hard on the monster inside this girl's body. It was enough to knock her out cold but I knew it didn't kill her. I stood up and glared at each person in the room. "No one is allowed to touch her! She is innocent and you will not destroy her soul because of that _thing_."

I stormed off to the exit. I reached the door and pulled hard on it. A wave of nausea hit me like a title wave and I slapped my hand over my mouth to keep from blowing chunks everywhere. The dizziness was next to come, then the blurry vision. I blinked quickly and Percy, Nox, and Nico came to help me with the door.

We finally got it open and found ourselves in a long, dark corridor. I pulled a lighter out of my pocket and held it up. It did little to the looming blackness. "Why do you have a lighter?" Percy asked, sounding like he was about to get all "big brother" on me in the middle of a death mission.

"Not anything you need to worry about right now, Percy."

Percy looked like he wanted to argue but was distracted when he found a torch hanging on the wall.

When the torch was glowing brightly Percy seemed to notice just how deep the cut on my forearm was. "Alec, that's really deep!"

I shrugged. "I'll be fine. I just need to wrap it up that's all."

"Annabeth, could you get the first-aid kit?" Percy asked. He handed the torch to Nico.

Annabeth came over to help with my arm but she took one look and stepped back with her hand over her mouth looking like she would puke. "I can't. Percy, I'm sorry, but I can't fix that. You will have to do it." She shoved the kit in Percy's hands and he looked at her oddly.

I assumed Annabeth hadn't told him about the "baby in question" yet or he would understand. Percy poured some kind of blue liquid all over my wound and I bit back a few extra colorful words. After it was clean Percy slapped on the bandage. "Is that better?"

My arm still hurt like hell and my head was beginning to feel like a bowling ball on my shoulders. "Yeah."

We continued down the hall and I counted the doors. "She said third or fourth, right?"

"Yeah, but how do we know that it's not a trap." Max asked.

"I could tell." I told them. Max and Nox had learned over the years that when I said that I could tell, well, that I was meaning what I was saying. "The look she gave me was real."

No one questioned me as we reached the third door.

"What now?" Annabeth asked.

"We should split up." Rachel suggested. "Four of us in one room, the other four in the other. We can leave the doors open so that we can hear the others if they run into trouble."

"When someone clears a room and they know it is safe, they hall ass back to the others to get them." Nico added.

"I don't like the idea, but it will have to work." Annabeth said.

"Percy, Thalia, Annabeth and I will take the fourth door and you guys will go in the third." I said.

Everyone agreed and we parted ways. I was the first in the room, Percy and Annabeth were right behind me while Thalia propped the door. I had taken three steps when I heard it: the unmistakable sound of a Hell Hound stalking its prey.

"Get out of here." I whispered in an almost inaudible voice. The Hell Hound jumped on Annabeth—knocking Percy and Thalia from the room. I tackled the Hell Hound off of Annabeth and we rolled several feet.

I jumped up and ran over to Annabeth. I could barely see her but I could see that she wasn't moving. I grabbed her shoulder and shook her hard. "Annabeth, get up!"

She groaned and that was enough to let me know she was alive. I could hear pounding on the door and I realized that it had slammed when the Hell Hound had knocked Percy and Thalia out of the room.

"Alec!" Percy shouted threw the door. "Alec, Annabeth, open the door."

"Percy, there is a fucking Hell Hound blocking the way and I can't find my sword so just shut up!"

"What do you mean you can't find your sword?" Thalia shouted, sounding worried.

Just then, the Hell Hound shot into view and I met it head-on. We rolled again and I slammed my fist into its face. The animal wailed in pain and snapped at me. I threw my arm up to block him and earned myself another flesh wound.

I was really getting pissed at this whole situation. In the last ten minutes I had been bitten _twice_. I didn't know what else to do besides doge the Hell Hound's strikes. Finally I did the one thing that I had hoped I would never have to do.

I reached into my pocket and grabbed the pen Poseidon had given me. I clicked it and it transformed before my eyes. At first I had expected the same celestial bronze sword that Percy is always wiping out during a fight.

Instead the pen was thinner and longer than any sword would be. It grew into a celestial bronze trident and pierced into the Hell Hound's heart without me even trying to send it there.

The Hell Hound burst into ash with an agonized scream. I put away Under Tow and I lay on my back breathing hard. The door seemed to open instantly—as if the presence of the Hound had been holding it closed—and the others rushed in.

Thalia's POV

I rushed to Alec's side and took her hand. She looked very pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. "Are you okay?"

She coughed weakly. "I've had better days." She sat up stiffly. "How's Annabeth?"

I looked over at Annabeth and saw that Percy had her in his arms. He was shaking her and looking terrified. "Annabeth, wake up!"

Alec crawled stiffly over to Annabeth. "Annabeth, Hun, you have to get up." Alec looked up at Percy. "Set her on her back."

Percy had tears in his eyes and he did as Alec told him. Alec put both of her hands on Annabeth's chest and pushed down hard and held it. Suddenly Annabeth came flying off the floor and was gasping for air. She looked around wildly and then she saw Percy. She hurled herself into his arms and kissed him.

"How did you do that?" Percy asked Alec in awe.

Alec swayed slightly and had to blink a few times before she answered. "I could feel that she was still breathing. If a person is unconscious but breathing and you cut off the air, they will wake up to fight for the air before they die. If you stop cutting off the air when they wake up, then the person will be fine."

"Thank you!" Annabeth cried as she threw herself into Alec's arms. "You saved my life."

Alec shrugged. "I saved more than one, ya know." I noticed a strange look on Annabeth's face, but it disappeared when she noticed Alec was looking pointedly at Percy. "You _are_ his life, Annabeth."

A loud bang came from the hall and it totally ruined the hall-mark moment we were witnessing. "Let's move." Max said.

Percy helped Annabeth to her feet and Nox and I helped Alec. We ran from the room and entered the third door. There was a long hall and another set of stairs at the end.

"Nico and Rachel are waiting up there." Nox informed us as the sound behind us grew louder and closer.

Once we got to the top of the stairs I realized that there was a clear layer of glass blocking us from the outside. Nox punched the glass and Nico and Rachel were suddenly there to lift it away.

We ran out and placed the glass back in place. We all turned to stare down into the darkness.

I can't describe the shape that I could barely make out in the darkness of the tunnel. The only thing that was clear was that it had red eyes. They were glowing brightly and they seemed to lock with Alec's.

Alec froze and stared at the creature in horror. Her eyes began to tear up as she stared back into this creature's horrendous eyes. She shook her head, as if to shake away images that were being shown to her.

"No!" Alec snapped and a dark force slammed her backwards.

As Alec hit the ground we could all hear the fury of the monster. It didn't speak allowed but the voice instead was in our minds. A darkness swept threw me and I could feel the evil—and the power—as it spoke.

The monster made it clear who he was speaking to. His words were meant for Alec, but he was merely demonstrating the amount of power he had by letting us all hear him.

The words he spoke were very simple, but yet they were extremely terrifying: _The dark will own your life!!!_

**Sorry for such a long** **chapter. I didn't know where to end this so I just cut if off right here. I hope to have the next chapter up soon and will work my ass off to get it posted in the time I want it. If you have any ideas please review or send me and PM I don't really care.**

**And as always R&R!!!!**


	10. Nico's not so bad

Percy's POV

After I heard what the monster had to say, I fell to the ground next to a convolving Alec. Her body shook and her eyes were getting a red tint to them.

"Alec!" Thalia shouted as she dropped down by her side. She snatched Alec from my arms and cradled her gently.

I stared at Thalia in a daze. She was shaking Alec and crying. "Alec, baby, please stop."

Annabeth leaned down by her side. She glanced at Alec's arm and I saw her eyes widen in horror. "Percy, I think you need to see this."

I leaned over and looked. Alec's wound was black under the bandage. It was like it was filled with a poison that was taking over her body. "That came from Ashley?"

"Now that I think about it, did you see the bite-mark on Ashley's shoulder?" Max said absentmindedly.

"No, I didn't!" I snapped. "Why don't you enlighten us about Ashley's appearance some more? I mean, it's not like my sister is fucking dying over here or anything important!"

"Hey, don't yell at her!" Nox lashed back. "It's her instinct to observe all our surroundings!"

"Guys, I think—." Thalia started to say.

I shot to my feet and got right in Nox's face—rage was making me blind to everything else. "Don't tell me who I can and cannot fucking yell at! At this moment I'm allowed to do whatever the fuck I want!"

"Percy, look—!" Annabeth said.

Nox glared at me. "You need to watch what you say! Take your family issues somewhere else and don't take them out on us!"

"Nox, Percy, shut the fuck up both of you!" Alec shouted. That caught both of our attentions. Alec stood up and Nox and I reached out to stop her from swaying but she jerked back. "Don't fucking touch me! I'm fine now and I'm so glad to know that you guys were oh, so worried when I wasn't! It really shows you who your REAL friends are!"

At that Alec glared—was it just me or was something off about it?—and she stormed away from us. "Wait, Alec, what the hell happened?" I called walking fast to catch up with her. The others waited behind, syncing that this was one of those sibling things.

"Oh, what? My 'almost death' moment?" Alec asked. "Did you just now decide that you care?"

"Alec, you know I care." I grabbed her arm and tried to force her to stop but she was suddenly very strong so I just continued to walk at her pace. "What do you mean 'almost death'?"

Now Alec stopped. She didn't look at me though; she just stared at the ground and took a shaky breath. "I saw it, Percy."

"What?" I asked softly. "What did you see?"

"The Underworld." She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "I was going to go to a very bad place, Percy; I could feel that I was. I'm not a good person, Percy, and I always knew that, but I didn't think I would end up _there_." She eyes were glassy like she wasn't here right now; it was like she was back in the Underworld.

I brought her into a fierce hug. "You are a wonderful person, Alec. I know you are."

"How?" Alec barely whispered. "How do you know?"

"Who is keeping a secret for Annabeth when they don't really even like her?" I noticed the shocked look in Alec's eyes. "Oh, yeah, and I'm gonna pry that one out of you soon. You are also the girl who would steal Nico some Mythomagic cards from the store—even if it was just so he would feel like an idiot. You also saved Thalia's life, you wouldn't kill Ashley even though there was something evil inside her, you saved Annabeth, and you forgave Dad after what he did to you enough to even open his gift."

Alec was crying but she was smiling now. "You knew I stole the cards?"

I laughed. "Out of everything I said that is what you comment about?"

Alec and I laughed together and then came back to where the others were waiting.

Thalia slammed into Alec as we reached the clearing and hugged her hard. "Don't you EVER scare me like that again!"

Alec smiled and hugged her back. "Don't worry, babe, I'm not that easy to kill."

Thalia tried to hide her smile. "That's not funny. You shouldn't joke about that shit."

"If I'm not funny, why are you trying not to smile?" Alec pointed out.

Thalia rolled her eyes and shot Alec a mean look. Everyone welcomed Alec back to reality but I was still shaking. That had been so fucking close.

Annabeth held my hand. "That was so fucking close."

I smiled tightly. "My thoughts exactly."

Alec's POV

Later on drenched my arm in that blue shit and it burned like no other. My wound was still black and looked as if it was filled with poison.

I gathered everyone around the little camp site we had made after he was done. They were getting ready to go to sleep, but I had other plans. "Alright, everyone listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth!" They seriously listened to every word that left my mouth, they had been doing that ever since my near death—no! I can't think about that right now! "I say that some of us should go to the store and get flashlights. Then we should search the tunnels for the monster."

"Alec, we've had a long night, we need rest." Percy started to argue.

"But the little fuck hiding away underground is also tired and therefore we should hunt him now!" I snapped. "We can catch it off his guard and kill the bastard."

"We don't even know if we are supposed to kill the beast." Thalia said.

"I don't care!" I yelled. They just didn't seem to realize that I was not going to give up on this. "No one—_no fucking one_—threatens my life and gets to live after!"

"Don't make this personal." Max told me.

I glared at her. "I'm getting a fucking flashlight and I'm going to hunt down that son of a bitch and if you don't want to come fine. That is not going to stop me!"

"Alec, please, do not go down there again." Thalia looked terrified. "You're not acting like yourself."

"Well, my usual self doesn't get death threats by a monster to scared to even show his face." I told her. I saw the way she looked at me—like I was someone she had never met before now—and I was surprised how much it didn't bother me.

"I'm not going with you." Max said. I shot her an evil look and she hesitated, then she swallowed and continued. "When you make things personal, it always ends in disaster."

"Is that so?" I asked sarcastically. "I think you are forgetting that when the French invaded the English, they won."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Percy asked.

"They won because the English murdered Lady Clair and her brother—the general for the people that took part in the invasion—was filled with the blind hatred he needed to win the war." Annabeth explained.

"He won _because_ he made it personal." I concluded.

"I still will not go with you, Alec." Max said. She looked away from my eyes when she said it.

Rachel stood up from her spot by a tree and spoke for the first time all night. "I'm not going either."

Percy came up to me and held my shoulders. "Alec, just go to sleep get some rest and we will take on the beast later."

I stared at him; out of everyone in the group I thought he would be the most on my side. "So you won't go either. Is that what you're saying?"

"If I go, Annabeth will go." Percy looked back at Annabeth lovingly. "And I just can't allow that. So, please, just stay."

"If you want to stay fine." I said as if it was no big deal. "I have to go down there, Percy."

Nox came over from where he and Max had been standing. "I will not go with you, and Nico won't either."

"Hey!" Nico snapped. "You don't make my choices for me! I want to go hunt down the monster and I think Alec has a point that this is probably our best chance at catching up to him and getting even."

Nox stared at Nico—everyone did—he was the last person I thought would be on my side. "What do you have to get even for?" Nox asked.

Nico looked down. "You wouldn't understand."

Thalia stood up and began to walk away. "Where are you going?" I called after her.

"To the store." She didn't even look back when she spoke. "We are going to need them in the tunnels."

Annabeth got up and ran to go catch up with her. "I'll be back in a little while." She called to Percy.

I laughed slightly then looked around.

Rachel looked worried . . . but she was only looking at Nico. Does she realize that she is four years older than him? Well, Thalia is . . . twenty-four? Gods, how is it that I don't know how old my own girlfriend is? That makes me look very shitty.

Everyone sat down and waited for Thalia and Annabeth to come back. The fire started to get low and I noticed that we were out of wood. Rachel noticed it to. She stood up and brushed dirt off her butt. "I'm going to go get some more wood."

"Do you need help?" I couldn't help but smile when Nico asked.

Rachel beamed at him and it took all I had not to laugh. "If you don't mind."

Nico stood and smiled at her—I just noticed how white his teeth were. "I don't."

They walked off and as soon as they were out of hearing range, I laughed.

Nico's POV

Rachel is older than you, I told myself. It didn't make a difference though, she was still hella fine. She was picking up branches and sticks that had fallen off the trees and onto the ground and I was breaking some off of the trees.

"Could you not do that?" Rachel asked.

"What? Get wood?" I asked confused.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Stop breaking the branches off the trees. It hurts them."

"How would you know?"

"I just do." Rachel said, holding her head up like she was someone important.

Gods, Rachel was hot but her ego was just to fucking big. "Ya know, just because you're the Oracle doesn't mean everyone believes in the 'I know everything' bull shit you're throwing out all the time."

Rachel turned on me, her eyes were shooting sparks. "Don't you dare say shit like that to me! I am the Oracle! The first one in decades! You have no right!"

"I'm a child of a Big Three God!" I snapped back.

"Well, there have been a lot of them popping up over the years so I guess that's not as important as you think it is!"

My mouth dropped and I took a step away from her. "What the fuck was that?"

Rachel's eyes got wide as soon as she realized what she said. I assumed she would begin apologizing to the Gods, but instead she began apologizing to me. "Nico, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it, I was just mad. I'm really sorry."

I couldn't keep a smile off my face—maybe she didn't have as big of an ego as I thought. "It's okay, Rachel. I didn't mean the stuff about you either. I don't even know why I said it."

Rachel smiled. We were about the same size despite my being younger than her by four years. Rachel looked into my eyes and did the very last thing I thought, but yet always secretly hoped, she would do: She kissed me.

I jumped at first, not knowing if this was real or if I was just imagining it. I kissed her back and she put her arms around my neck, letting the branches she had been picking up fall to the ground. I put my arms around her waist and held her close.

Rachel was a really good kisser. She seemed to know what she was doing despite the fact that she was to remain pure in order to host the spirit of Delphi. That thought made me pull away.

Rachel looked at me confused. "What?"

"Well, you're . . . I mean, we can't . . . you're the Oracle." I stumbled.

"The only rule to being the Oracle is I can't sleep with anyone." Rachel said pointedly. "That doesn't mean any guy who touches me gets zapped."

I glanced at the rising sun nervously. "Let's not chance that."

Rachel rolled her eyes and looked very annoyed. "You are a fucking pussy." She snatched up the sticks and walked away before I could respond.

I sighed. "Fucking teenage hormones."

Alec's POV

I watched as Rachel and Nico came back. I noticed the way Rachel showed up before Nico and how annoyed she seemed to be with him. I stood up and went to help Nico with the fire.

"Didn't go the way you wanted it?" I whispered.

Nico glanced at me. "What are you talking about?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You and her are all googlely eyes at each other and then you go off alone together, but nothing happens? Don't give me that bull shit Nico."

"Why would I tell you about my personal life anyways?" Nico asked.

"Oh, so you do have a personal life? Can I ask who this life involves? It takes two to tango, Nico."

Nico couldn't help but laugh. "You don't get it."

"Nico, I am not like you." I pointed out. "I don't run off and tell other people someone else's secrets just because I'm a dick."

Nico smiled sheepishly. "I am sorry about that."

"I'm sure." I rolled my eyes.

Nico grabbed my shoulder—near my wound—and I looked into his eyes for the first time in, like, ever. They were serious and intense and surprisingly gorgeous. "I mean it. I do apologize for the way I acted. I hope you can forgive me for that someday."

We stared at each other for a minute. I finally swallowed nervously and cleared my throat. "Thanks for apologizing. It's a first."

Nico laughed and let go of my arm. "Are you okay?"

I glanced at him before we stood up. "What do you mean?"

"You look really pale." Nico pulled me over to the side for a minute and looked to make sure no one was listening. "Earlier, I saw you die. I could feel your life force and it was completely gone."

I knew the blood had drained from my face and I stared at Nico. I had told Percy I could see the Underworld but I never told him that I was actually there. I was just about to the gate when I came back.

"Please, don't tell anyone." I glance at Nox nervously. "Do you think he knows?"

"No." Nico answered immediately. "We have talked about it before. Nox can do all the same things as me but for some reason I can since people's life force. I'm sure you and Percy have differences. Oh, and I won't say anything, but I just think you should know—you're not in the greatest shape. Your life force is still . . . well; I have to focus to find it."

I blinked. "That low, huh?" Nico nodded. "But I feel fine."

Nico shrugged. "I don't know why that is. I only have to search for a force when its owner is about to pass. I don't know what your deal is." He eyed me momentarily. "You must really be a freak."

We laughed. "I think I am." I said while we were laughing. "Who else would laugh in the face of death?"

Nico snorted. "Oh, I don't know . . . Me?"

"Ahh bull!" I said and slapped his shoulder. "You wouldn't cry?"

"Nope." Nico said and he popped the "p".

"Well, then that is just sad."

"What is?"

"You can laugh death in the face but when it comes to Rachel . . . you can't even seal the deal."

Nico looked as if he really hadn't seen that one coming. "Now you just hang on a second, I can seal a deal. And I'm not scared of Rachel."

I looked at him seriously. "When have you ever sealed the deal?"

Nico looked at me and waved me closer. I leaned over and he whispered to me. "It was seven months ago."

"Oh, yeah? With who?" I quizzed.

"I can't tell you that." Nico explained. "It was a onetime thing and it won't happen with her again."

I frowned. "Were you that bad?"

Nico punched me in the shoulder. "No. We were drunk and it happened and she wanted to again but I was only fourteen so I said I didn't and it all came out wrong instead of the nice way I had planned and so she won't talk to me."

"Uh-huh." I teased.

"Whatever. When was the last time you got laid?" Nico turned it around on me.

I thought back a while. "Three weeks ago?"

Nico rolled his eyes. "I meant by a guy."

"Oh, um, I . . . well, I've never . . ."

Nico stared at me in shock. "You've never had sex with a guy?"

"Shut up!" I snapped. "I've never been a fan of men and . . . the idea of part of a man _inside_ me . . ." I shivered in distaste.

Nico laughed. "You're innocent."

"I am not!" I said annoyed now. "I bet I've seen more girls naked than you."

"I bet I have more messing around wounds than you."

"Not a chance."

Nico pulled down the collar of his shirt and showed me and scar. "Her name was Nikki. We were fooling around in the back seat of a friend's car and, well, let's just say she bites really hard."

I smiled and shook my head. "I got that beat." I pulled up my pant leg and showed him the several scars on my knee. "I was going down on Missy Kim in her brother's car. She was like sitting sideways on the seat and I was outside of the car, ya know? Well, she starts to get off and knocks the car into neutral. It starts rolling down the hill dragging me with it."

Nico and I laughed. Then Nico lifted his shirt and I shut up. His stomach was fucking insanely sculpted. He had great muscles and it was just fucking insane. He pointed to a scar from—I don't know what it is called but it was really close to his dick area—to a few inches below his belly button. "I was at my Aunt's in France and this girl, Jennifer, and I were fooling around. She stuck her hand down my pants and we're getting really into it, right? My dad shows up out of nowhere, scares the shit out of both of us, she pulls her hand out really fast, and her nails cut me really deep."

I started laughing. I turned around and lifted my hair so that he could see my neck. There were scars all around my neck. "Push down on the side." He lifted his hand and placed it on the place where I told him. "Do you feel that knot?" I turned around so I could see him nod. I waved him closer and whispered it to him. "Max and I were screwing around. She kept grabbing my neck. She kept digging her nails into my neck and shit, but she never hurt me. But then her mom walked in. Max dug her nails into me and her mom pulled me off of her by my hair, which is what caused the knot."

Nico was doubled over in laughter. "That is awesome!" Nico sat up and patted me on the back. "You win. I don't think I have anything that would top that."

I threw my hands up and cheered. "I win!" Nico and I started laughing hard now.

"What is so funny?" Thalia asked.

"Nothing." Nico and I said in unison.


	11. somehow not awkward

Alex's POV

Don't you wonder sometimes if what you are doing is the right thing or not? Well, surprisingly, I don't. I do everything before I think it through.

Being down it the tunnels again were not the funest thing I could be doing but I could feel the son of a bitch down here. It was dark despite the fact that the sun was up outside. Our flashlights guided the way and Thalia held my hand.

The walkie-talkie Percy gave me was tucked tightly in my back pocket. He didn't know if it would work down here but he gave it to me anyways.

"So are the two of you, like, together?" Nico asked after two hours of searching.

Thalia and I looked at each other—we were waiting for the other to answer him. I spoke up first. "Thalia and I have a good thing going, but have yet to decide on whether we are together, together."

I raised an eyebrow at Thalia and she nodded in agreement. "And we don't need any loud mouth Death Child to ruin that."

Nico looked sheepishly away from her, but I noticed that he didn't apologize this time. "I won't say anything. Alec knows a secret of mine and I'd rather that stay a secret."

I smiled at Thalia and then looked pointedly at Nico. "Actually, I know _two_ secrets and a couple embarrassing stories."

Nico rolled his eyes. "I'm not the only one who seems to trust you with their secrets. What is it that Annabeth is hiding anyways?"

I smiled. "There is a reason people trust me with their secrets, Nico."

"And why don't I know any of these stories or secrets?" Thalia asked looking offended.

"Don't worry about it, babe." I kissed her lightly on the lips. "If I could tell you, I would."

Thalia sighed. "I know." She leaned in and kissed me on the lips and it lasted a while.

Nico cleared his throat. "Still here, guys."

Thalia huffed, dropped my hand, and continued on ahead of us. I turned and glared at Nico playfully. "You are such a fucking cock block."

Nico and I laughed. "It is not my fault you two are trying to have a sexual moment right in front of me."

"Yes, it is! You could have averted your eyes, ya perv!" We laughed again and Nico just rolled his eyes.

"Hey, guys, come look at this!" Thalia called from up ahead.

We hurried to catch up with her and I saw what she was pointing her flashlight at. About four feet above our heads was an opening, right in the corner. "Nico and I will lift you and then Nico will go and then I will come up afterward."

Nico rolled his eyes. "How are you going to lift me? And even if you do, how are you going to get up there?"

I smiled. "Don't worry about it. Now help me with Thalia."

Nico sighed and did as he was told. I cupped my hands together for Thalia to step in and Nico did the same. Once she was sure of her footing, we began to lift her. When we were closer enough to our shoulders, Thalia stepped on them and reached out for the ledge. "I got it." She called.

"Are you sure?" I asked before moving.

"Yeah, all I have to do is pull myself up."

Nico and I stepped back and watched Thalia as she scrambled up the ledge. Once she was up she turned to look down at us. "It's not very wide up here. And it's even darker than the halls."

I nodded and then turned to Nico. "Your turn."

Nico glared at me and didn't move. "You can't lift me."

"You can't get up there by yourself."

"And you can?"

"Yes." I answered knowingly. I cupped my hands and looked at him. While he was staring at me, we heard a noise. Something was coming very quickly down the halls. "Hurry!" I snapped.

Nico quit arguing and stepped into my hands. I pushed upward with everything I had and he sailed up fast. Nico caught the edge of the opening and Thalia helped him up.

I took a few steps back and then ran forward. I jumped as I neared the wall and took a few steps up the first wall; I pushed off that wall and then used the next one to keep me going. I was very near the ledge and all I needed was one finally push to get me there. The problem was: the wall broke off as I pushed against it.

I tried desperately to grab the ledge but I missed it by mere inches. Suddenly an arm shot out and grabbed my wrist. The owner pulled me up quickly and we fell onto the floor. I looked up to see Nico holding onto me as if he was still trying to keep me from falling.

I also saw Thalia staring at us and the way we were laying on the floor. I was lying on top of Nico with my head resting on his chest. I sat up quickly, I was sure my face was red but I tried to pretend it was nothing. "Thanks, Nico."

Nico sat up and his cheeks seemed to have some color to but I wasn't certain. "No problem."

I heard a fierce snarl from below and I peeked over the edge. My eyes flared in recognition. "You!" I growled. "What the fuck are you doing back here? I thought I killed you once already!"

The Hell Hound paced the floor below. Nico came up next to me and glanced down. "That is impossible." He seemed to mumble to himself.

"What?" I snapped. "It has the same eyes, scar on its chest, everything."

"That's not it, Alec." Nico said. "That thing has _no_ life force. It should be a corpse not a breathing, walking animal."

I stared down at the Hell Hound. Its eyes were red and they glared at us with purpose. It was here to kill us. It wouldn't leave with anything less than our lives. "I told you I killed it."

"Or maybe it was dead to begin with." Thalia said shakily from beside Nico. Her eyes went wide. "Look at its leg, Alec! Oh, gods, that's not possible."

I looked where she pointed and my heart stopped. It had a large, black wound on its leg—one that looked very much like mine. I glanced at my forearm and then reached up to remove the bandage.

I gasped at what was there. A wound, just a few sizes smaller than the one on the Hell Hound, was there. I flashed back to hearing Max say that Ashley had had a wound like this as well, and Nico said I had died and that my life force was low. Now this Hell Hound was living and breathing when it should have been dead. I realized that the hound had also been trying to bite us. Most hounds just try to rip you to shreds with their claws but not this one.

Is this what happens when you get bitten? Do you become one of those . . . _things_?

My world started to spin suddenly and soon everything went black.

Percy POV

It had been two hours since Alec and the others had left to go back into the tunnels. Everyone was asleep but Annabeth and I were on watch. "Why didn't you go?" Annabeth asked me. "Was it really just to keep me here?"

I nodded. "I know you are hiding something from me, Annabeth. I can't let you risk more than you need until I find out what it is."

Annabeth looked away. "There is a problem with that."

"What?" I took Annabeth's hand in mine. "You know you can tell me anything."

Annabeth looked me in the eyes. "If I tell you, you are going to worry that much more about me. I can't have you trying to keep me and Alec safe while also trying to keep yourself alive. You don't need this right now, and to be honest I don't either."

"Annabeth, if you would just tell me, we could work it out."

"How?" Annabeth began to get tears in her eyes. "This can't be fixed, Percy!" She looked away and I heard her say something under her breath that sounded like "I can't . . . myself into this."

I was getting tired of this. "Annabeth, you either trust me enough to tell me or you don't. If not then we really need to re-think everything."

Annabeth's eyes went wide and she looked scared. "What?"

I began to speak again when I heard a roar come from the tunnels. Three Hell Hounds burst from the opening and I pushed Annabeth behind me.

I pulled out Riptide and the hounds didn't seem to like that. They snapped and growled furiously. Nox, Max, and Rachel woke up. The tree of them and Annabeth stood up next to me and drew their weapons. Nox and Max were using celestial bronze swords the camp had supplied him with. Annabeth still carried her dagger that had gotten her through the battle in New York. Apollo had personally given Rachel a sword years ago when she insisted on training with the rest of the demi-gods.

We threw ourselves into battle. The first Hell Hound went after Rachel and she fended it off as best she could. Max and Nox were on the next one and the final one went after Annabeth, which means I was fighting it to.

I jumped forward and trust my sword into the hound's face. He roared and snapped at me. Annabeth shot forward and punched it before she swiped at it with her dagger.

The hound dodged and came at us again. It knocked Annabeth over and then turned its attention to me. I took a couple steps backward and then tried rushing it. Before I had taken three steps the creature erupted into ash.

Annabeth was laying on the ground with her dagger held up. I pulled her to her feet just as Max ran past the two of us. The Hell Hound was chasing her and she was running?

I dismissed the thought when I saw Max run up a tree and do a back flip, landing on the hound's back. She crammed her sword in his head. The hound disappeared and Max fell on the ground.

Rachel and her hound were nowhere in sight. I noticed Nox was missing as well. I thought about going after them but when I heard an agonized yelp from the woods I didn't bother.

One minute later, Rachel and Nox came back. We were just about to question our former beliefs of not going down in the tunnels—if that is what came out, what was still there?—when five more Hell Hounds came out of the opening.

"Oh, fuck!" I shouted.

"Ahh shit!" Nox said at the same time.

Nico's POV

Alec had fainted and nearly fallen off the ledge. I would be sure to remind her that this was the _second_ time I had stopped her from falling. Thalia shook her several times to try and wake her up but she was still out cold.

"Alec!" Thalia shouted. "Wake the fuck up! We have to move!"

I rolled my eyes. "Why don't you just smack her already?"

Thalia turned to glare at me. "No! I won't do that! She can get up on her own!"

I sighed, snatched Alec from Thalia's grasp and smacked her hard across the face. Alec sat up quickly and looked around dazed. "I told you." I said smartly to Thalia.

Unfortunately, she ignored me and grabbed Alec's shoulders. "How many times do you plan on scaring me half to death?"

"What?" Alec asked dazedly. "I didn't mean to—"

Thalia smashed her mouth onto Alec's and they began to just make out as if I wasn't even with them. I sighed and looked away. Did they really not care that I was here? I am a fifteen-year-old and a boy! They should realize that—if I was smart—I could have stared at them the entire time. Nooooo, I'm stupid.

"You don't have to stare off into space, Nico." Alec told me.

I looked back at them and they smiled at me. Thalia began to grin. "You should join us next time."

I stared at them in utter shock and astonishment. The two of them began to laugh. "We're kidding, Nico. You don't have to freak out." Alec told me.

"I wasn't freaking out." I said. I really wasn't. I had just found myself imagining the situation and now I couldn't get it out of my head.

"Ahh, did poor, young Nico get blue balls?" Thalia asked playfully.

I faked a laugh. "You're such a riot, Thalia, really where do you come up with such great jokes?"

Thalia smiled at me and stood up. "We should get moving now."

Alec and I stood up to and I stopped her from swaying. "I agree, sitting around here isn't going to help us get anything done."

Alec smiled at me as Thalia walked on. "Don't let her bother you." She whispered.

I shrugged. "I can't really blame her, I would want this body to." I flexed my arms playfully. Alec started cracking up laughing. "To bad she doesn't realize that I don't do the whole 'bi-sexual girl' thing."

"Really?" Alec asked. "I thought that was every guy's fantasy?"

We reached a small opening that we had to duck through. "Not every guy is like that."

Right before Alec ducked through the opening, she paused—I realized her mouth was really close to mine—and eyed me up and down. "Well, that's too bad."

She smiled playfully and ducked through the opening. I looked up toward the gods. "What do they want from me?" I whispered in exasperation.

Percy's POV

After we _finally_ won the fight against the Hell Hounds, I couldn't find Annabeth. I searched around for her and I heard something from way up in a tree.

I searched its branches frantically and I saw Annabeth in one of the highest ones. "What the fuck are you doing up there?"

"I was trying to get the fuck away from that Hell Hound and it just kept coming. It finally got stuck long enough for me to kill it, but . . . now I'm stuck."

I laughed. "You can be very stupid sometimes, Wise Girl."

Annabeth faked a laugh. "Just get me down; I don't think I'm allowed to be up this high."

I started to climb the tree when I realized what she said. "What? Why would you not be allowed up that high? Zeus loves your mother."

Annabeth froze where she was. "Don't ask, Percy, please."

"Annabeth, can't you just—"

"I said don't ask, Percy!" Annabeth snapped.

I had just reached where Annabeth was and instead of leading her down, I glared at her. "You either trust me or you don't, make up your mind now."

"I trust you." Annabeth said instantly.

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"This isn't a matter of trust, Percy. I just don't know if you can handle this right now." Annabeth looked away. "It is hard enough me knowing. If you knew . . . if you decided . . . I just don't know."

I stared at her. "Annabeth, please." I pleaded. "I can't stand the thought of you hiding things from me. It drives me crazy. You do know that no matter what you tell me, it won't change a thing between us, don't you?"

Annabeth looked at me. "Percy, I . . . I'm, err . . . I'm thinking that this is not the best place to have this conversation."

I sighed. "Fine!" I helped her down from the tree in silence.

At the bottom of the tree, Annabeth put her hand on my face. "Percy, please understand that I'm doing this to help you."

"Bull shit!" I snapped. "I'm tired of this, Annabeth. You need to tell me what the fuck is going on!"

Annabeth turned away from me and sighed. "I'm late."

I stared at her in confusion. "And where the fuck is it that you have to be?"

Annabeth turned and stared at me like I was the stupidest person on the planet. "No, Percy!" She clenched her teeth and walked away before she could hit me.

I stared after in complete confusion. What the fuck?

Alec's POV

Nico kept eyeing me strangely. I had only been kidding when I said that—or that's what I kept telling myself—he didn't need to keep staring at me the way he was.

We began to move as if we were all sleep walking. "I think we should take a break." Thalia said.

"I second that motion." Nico said. He sat down against the wall and Thalia and I followed.

Thalia laid her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. "Today has been a long day." Thalia mumbled.

"I know, babe, you should get some sleep." I told her. She didn't answer.

After a few moments Thalia was asleep. Nico and I sat across from each other, and he was still fucking staring at me. "What?" I finally asked.

"Do you think it is weird dating someone who has the same body parts as you?"

I laughed. "No, it's actually more comfortable."

"How?"

I smiled. "I don't know, Nico. It just is."

"I know you have never had sex with a guy, but have you ever . . . even messed around with a guy?"

I nodded. "When Max and I had our little thing going, I also had a thing going with another boy—she had a thing going with your brother so she didn't really care who I had. I would never sleep with him but we did mess around."

Nico shook his head. "So if Max was fucking Nox, why did she keep coming back to you?"

I grinned evilly. "Because I'm that fucking good."

Nico laughed. "I'm serious."

I sighed. "Okay, look. Guys, they know how to do certain things to a woman. They know just enough to make them get off, but another woman? They know where the right spots are. They know what feels good and what feels _great_."

"How?" Nico asked seeming very interested.

I rolled my eyes. "How do you think? We have all the same places! What would feel good to us, we know would feel good to other girls. Its common sense, moron."

"Oh," Nico said looking off into space. "So why do you like girls anyways?"

I thought about that for a moment. "Because I've never met a man who could make me cum the way a woman does."

Nico started laughing. "Maybe you've been with the wrong men."

"Oh, really? And just what who would be the _right_ man?" I asked, mostly just kidding and some just to see what he would come up with.

Nico shrugged. "I don't know a porn star or something?"

I laughed. "Just face it; no man can do the things to a woman an _experienced_ woman can."

Nico frowned. "Why is it that we can sit here and talk about sex without it being awkward?"

"I'm really not sure. I guess I'm just comfortable around you."

Nico blushed slightly but tried to hide it. "So . . . since you're just so comfortable around me, can you maybe do me a favor?"

I shrugged—being sure not to wake up Thalia—and smiled. "You saved my life . . . twice today. It seems to me that I owe you."

Nico looked awkward for the first time. "Can you teach me . . . how to do whatever it is you do?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I wanna' learn how to . . . make a woman keep coming back even if she is fucking some other guy."

I thought about that for a moment. I knew it would be weird and I had no idea how I was going to teach him but I did owe him . . .

I smiled at him. "Once you learn what I know, whoever she is won't _need_ to fuck another guy."

Nico smiled and laughed. "Thanks."

Then I had a thought. "I do have one condition."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to have to talk to her first, but if she agrees, you have to practice on her." I saw him glance at Thalia momentarily. "Not her!" I snapped.

Nico laughed. "I was just making sure."

I glared at him. "I meant Rachel."

**So tell me what you think and how the rest of this should work out. Should I have them find the monster first? Should I have Percy freak out about the baby thing and beg them to come back? And then start with the "lessons"?**

**Really lost need help, R&R!!!!**


	12. Do you realize how stupid that sounds?

Rachel's POV

We all came upon the agreement that we should go down into the tunnels so that we can find Alec, Thalia, and Nico and bring them out alive.

We only had three flashlights between the five of us. The tunnels seemed different. I led the way by following the bright line on the floor. It led us to a dead end that held only a Hell Hound sleeping soundly in the corner.

Percy and Nox pushed the rest of us back. They slowly brought out their weapons and stepped forward.

The hound awoke and took one look around him. A vision hit me and I slumped forward.

I saw Alec fighting this hound. She killed it. There was darkness and then red eyes appeared. I could hear its voice—the same voice that had threatened Alec—as it spoke calmly to the Hell Hound.

"You have now seen the truth of my words." The owner of the red eyes began to circle around the hound. "That girl took away your life and yet here you stand. My bite brings power beyond imaginable to the gods. My body takes on many forms. You will soon return to your former self just as Ashley did."

The hound snarled something at the creep. The person continued to circle the hound. "All you have to do is feed. You must give in to the animal side. My bite can bring you so much more power than you have ever seen but you must feed."

The vision began to fade and I awoke in Percy's arms. "What happened?"

I blinked and looked around. The hound was gone and everyone was staring at me. "The Hell Hound was the same one Alec fought." I saw their confused looks. "The vision had the person with red eyes talking to the hound like it was human. It kept saying that its bite brought powers and that coming back to life was nothing. It said that if the hound would just feed then the hound could return to its former self the way Ashley did."

"What does that mean?" Nox asked.

"It sounds to me like that bite mark on Alec is going to bring a lot of bad news." Annabeth said. "Where did they go? We have to move faster."

I looked around. The light wasn't helping me anymore—it went straight into the wall—unless . . . I snatched the flashlight from Percy and pointed it at the wall. I followed the light up the wall and saw the opening. "There."

Percy and Nox lifted each of us onto the ledge. Then Percy lifted Nox up and we threw down the rope. Percy climbed up quickly and we were moving again. We ran a long way—which was difficult seeing as this tunnel was smaller—and I followed the light easily.

After what seemed like an hour we reached point in the tunnel where you had to duck . . . only Percy didn't realize this until he had slammed into it and knocked himself out cold.

Alec's POV

I hadn't realized that I had fallen asleep until I woke up to the sound of someone running down the tunnel. How long had we been sleeping? Minutes? Hours? I kicked Nico awake and shook Thalia.

They woke up without making a noise and realized what was going on. I led the way quickly searching everywhere for a hiding place. I ran through the tunnel and turned corners at the last minute.

I turned one corner and I found myself slipping off an edge and falling a good thirty feet. I was about to yell but I hit freezing cold water and the sound was snatched away from me.

I didn't have a problem with water. I was the daughter of Poseidon for crying out loud. It was just soooo cold! Thalia and Nico hit the water seconds later.

Thalia's flashlight was pointed into the water and I thanked the gods she had thought to get water-proof. I looked around and noticed that Nico hadn't come back up.

Annabeth's POV

I shook Percy hard. "Percy, get the fuck up!"

He groaned and looked around, dazed. "Where . . . what's . . . what the fuck?"

"Run much, SeaWeed Brain?" I laughed slightly.

Percy glared at me and then stumbled to his feet. "I'm . . . good."

He began to walk off but I grabbed his arm. "You are going the wrong way."

"Oh," He turned and started walking again. At first he was moving very slowly but then she began to pick up his pace. After a few minutes we were running again.

I heard a small shout and then a splash followed by two more instantly. It didn't sound too far ahead so we slowed down and everyone pulled out their weapons.

Percy used his flashlight to check every corner Rachel pointed to before we turned it. Rachel froze suddenly and pointed. "There is something around that corner. It's not good."

Alec's POV

I unhooked my flashlight from my belt and pointed it into the water. Nico was struggling with something I couldn't see and it looked to me like he was losing. "Stay here!" I snapped at Thalia.

I dove underwater and quickly made my way to Nico. I pulled him into my underwater bubble and turned to his attacker. I saw a sea demon coming toward us. "I am the daughter of the god of the sea! You will leave me and my friends alone now!"

The demon paused momentarily and then continued to circle us. Nico was gasping for air and spoke in between his breaths. "He didn't bite me . . . holy, flying fuck."

I wasn't really listening to Nico—I was focused on other things—the demon suddenly dove for us and I dropped Nico to kick it in its face. I uncapped Under Tow and my trident caused him to stop again. I forgot about everything and everyone else and dove for the demon.

He tried to dodge but I hurled Under Tow at him and it penetrated the monster's heart turning him into ash and dust. I caught Under Tow and went after Nico.

Once he was back in the bubble to where he could breathe he began cussing me for dropping him like that. "You could have warned me!"

I rolled my eyes. "You could be less of a baby about it." I was about to say more but something happened. A strange, wonderful smell began to fill the air pocket I had created underwater. It was intoxicating and it made my mouth begin to water.

Nico had started talking again, but I couldn't get a grasp on his words. All I could do was catch parts of the sentences he was saying. "Now look what . . . I can't fucking believe . . . you are so . . . now I'm bleeding!"

The last part caught my attention. My eyes locked on the wound on his chest. He was holding his hand over it to try and stop the blood flow, but was failing miserably. That was when I located the source of the delicious smell.

I curled away from Nico not wanting to accept the fact that I had just practically been drooling over the smell of his blood. Nico glanced at me. "What you don't like that sight of blood?"

I shook my head. "It . . . it's the smell."

"The smell?" Nico lifted his blood covered fingers to his face. "I don't smell anything."

My eyes locked on his hand. I blacked out for a second but when I gained control again I was holding his hand close to my mouth and Nico was staring at me. I realized the taste in my mouth. It was the best thing I had ever tasted. I felt as though I had just tasted the very food meant for the gods.

That moment was when it all clicked. "Did I just . . ." I let my voice trail off and I move his hand again.

Nico nodded but didn't say anything. Or maybe he did, but I wasn't paying attention again. The movement made the smell stronger and right by me. I didn't black out this time but that didn't mean I had any more control than before.

I stuck his fingers back in my mouth and sucked off his blood. It was the best thing in the world. I knew it was gross and repulsive but it tasted like passion and lust and desire and chocolate and every other hot, delicious thing out there.

I realized that I was getting turned on by this and that was all it took for me to stop. I threw his hand away from me and stared at him in shock. Nico wore an identical expression. "What the hell?" Nico finally asked with a roughness to his voice.

I opened my mouth but shook my head when I couldn't think of anything. I glanced up to see a beam of light pointed downward . . . two or three actually. I looked at Nico seriously. "Don't say anything about that. I didn't even realize what I was doing so please don't tell."

I waited for him to answer and he finally nodded his head. "I won't say anything about you sucking the blood off my fingers to anyone. I swear to it."

I nodded and took us to the surface without another word. The beams of light nearly blinded Nico and I. "Where the hell have you guys been?" Thalia said.

"That doesn't matter." I said quickly. "Who is up there?"

"It's Percy and the rest of them." Thalia said. "They are going to send down a rope."

"Okay, guys," Annabeth's voice came from up above. "We are dropping the rope now."

The rope fell and smacked the water. "Thalia grab on!" I handed her the rope, tugged twice, and she was pulled out.

The rope came down and I handed it to Nico this time and tugged on it again. He went up a little slower than Thalia had. Once the rope came back I hesitated. What had happened? How did I lose control of myself like that?

"Alec?" Percy called down. "Are you okay?"

I started to answer but I couldn't. I didn't know what was happening to me. Would it be safer for them if I didn't come back up?

"Alec, get your ass up here!" Nico shouted. "You don't have to worry about anything. I can feel your life force now and I'm not even trying."

I looked up and smiled slightly. That must mean that I'm getting better. Maybe all I needed was to realize what would happen to me if I didn't fight this thing harder. I grabbed the rope and pulled on it.

They pulled me up quicker than I had expected. Percy pulled me over the ledge and held me close. "I don't know what the hell has gotten into you lately but you have got to stop scaring everyone who cares about you to death."

I couldn't help the tears from forming in my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Don't do it again." Percy told me. He didn't release me from his hug either.

"I won't." I promised.

He sighed and let me go. Thalia hugged me and then slapped me. "What the fuck was that?"

I glanced at her momentarily. "I don't know."

"You don't know? _You don't know!_" Thalia repeated in outrage. "You have got to tell me what is going on, Alec. I'm sick and tired of this!"

I saw Percy looking at us strangely. How he didn't know there was more between Thalia and I, I will never understand. I focused back on Thalia. "I'm sorry. I don't see how I'm going to tell you something when I don't even know myself."

"Well, Nico seems to know a lot!" Thalia snapped.

I blinked in shock. "Nico doesn't know anything more than me and that is very little!"

"Well, I would rather know a little than nothing!" Thalia shouted.

Annabeth suddenly walked up to us. "You guys need to calm down and take a deep breath." She leaned in so that only we could hear her. "I think Percy is getting suspicious."

Thalia glared at me and walked off. I turned to Annabeth. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to do that."

Annabeth shrugged. "Oh, and by the by, I told Percy." She whispered. "He kept pushing it and finally I was like 'I'm late' and he didn't even understand. He asked where it was I was supposed to be."

I stared at her. "You are kidding, right?"

Annabeth shook her head. "I know he is your brother but gods he can be stupid."

I nodded. "How does he not pick up on the Thalia stuff? You should have known he was a bonehead by that." I glanced at her stomach. "And by . . . that."

Annabeth sighed. "Are you going to go talk her down?"

I looked off to the part of the tunnel that Thalia was in. She and Rachel were talking and Thalia was making angry hand movements that I assumed were about me. I shook my head. "I think I'll give her some time to calm down."

Annabeth was looking in the same direction. "That might be best." She patted me on the shoulder and went to stand by Percy who was chatting easily with Max while Nox and Nico were carrying on their own conversation.

When Annabeth left my side Nico said something to Nox and then came up to me. "What were you thinking about down there?" I didn't answer him. "You were thinking about not coming up."

It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyways. "I don't know what is happening to me and I don't know if it will be safer for the others if I'm not around."

"Look, a little blood drinking isn't going to kill anyone." Nico said. He glanced at everyone and then leaned toward me. "It was actually kind of hot."

I smacked him on the arm and glared. "That is not funny!"

Nico rubbed his arm where I had hit him. "That hurt!"

"That was the point!" I snapped and then I lowered my voice. "What the hell do you mean by 'that was actually kind of hot'? That was gross and repulsive and you should be disgusted with me!"

Nico stared at me. "If it was so gross why did you like it so much?"

"I. Don't. Know." I said slowly and angrily. "Looking back, I am grossed out, but at the time it was like I didn't even have control of myself."

"Well, listen, that blood drinking bit brought your life force back big time." Nico explained. "Maybe that is what getting that bite means. As long as you drink regularly, you won't go crazy like Ashley and the Hell Hound. That monster, its life force was so strong it felt like an immortal."

I rolled my eyes. "So I'm a vampire now? Do have any idea how stupid that sounds, Nico?"

Nico shrugged. "You got another explanation?"

I bit my lip. Fucking Nico always had to prove a point. I glared at him and sighed. "I hate you so much right now."

Nico smiled. "I love being right."

Nico's POV

It didn't take as long to get as it had to get where we had been giving the fact that we were running the whole time. We did have to stop to kill a few monsters but with the eight of us it didn't take more than a second or two.

Once we were outside, we realized that we weren't in the same place as we had been to begin with.

"Rachel, where are we?" Percy asked.

Rachel huffed and blew some hair out of her face. "I need to sleep in a bed. There is a hotel just a few blocks from here."

"Rachel—" Percy started to argue.

"I think staying in a real bed would be nice." Alec piped up. "I'll even break into one if I have to."

Percy sighed and agreed. We didn't have to walk far. Rachel had been right about a hotel not being far away, but, of course, she _was_ the Oracle.

We rented two suits and Alec broke into two others. I was surprised at how skilled she was at breaking into the room. Once she had finished with the second room and rigging them to where we could get in and out of the rooms, she noticed me looking at her. "What?"

"How are you so good at this?"

"We used to do it all the time." Alec said. "At first we would get caught a lot, but then I did it again and again and again and now I'm awesome."

I laughed at her. "Yeah, I can see that."

Alec rolled her eyes and let me in. "You and Rachel are sharing a room." She winked at me and walked away with her bags.

***

Rachel and I were slightly awkward at first. Neither of us spoke for a long time. At one point we were both sitting at the island in the kitchen and eating burgers, grapes, and other foods that Percy had ordered from room service and brought over.

I couldn't take the silence anymore. "I'm sorry for . . . what happened in the woods." I finally said.

Rachel shrugged. "I just hate that I can't do anything with a boy without him getting scared. Apollo is great and I appreciate my gift but . . . sometimes it is just too much."

"Yeah, I guess I can understand that."

We had just fallen back into silence when Alec came in. She walked right up to the island and popped a grape into her mouth. "I talked to Thalia, she doesn't like it, but she agreed to let me teach you."

I glanced nervously at Rachel. "Are you serious?"

Alec nodded, she seemed all business. "You can wait in the other room while I ask Rachel if you want."

I started to think it over but Rachel spoke. "I already know."

Alec and I stared at her. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I know what you want to ask me." When she noticed that we only stared at her, she sighed. "I will let Alec teach Nico the ways of pleasing women while using me as the test person or whatever."

"How do you . . . where did you . . . what the fuck?" Alec said.

Rachel smirked. "I'm the Oracle."

***

"Okay, Nico, you should accept the fact that you are going to get turned on." Alec instructed. "It's never just business for guys. Rachel, you should realize that Nico will be getting turned on. You already know that the object of this is for you to get turned on so we needn't go over that."

We were in the room that Rachel picked would be hers. Rachel was sitting cross-legged on the bed, I was leaning against the wall, and Alec was standing in front of us like a real teacher would.

Once Rachel and I accepted the facts that Alec had laid out, Alec took a deep breath. "Okay, I guess we should get started." She turned to Rachel. "Have you ever been with a girl?"

Rachel glanced at me shyly. "Yeah . . ."

"Were any of them experienced?"

Rachel thought. "One had been with three girls and the other had been with four, the others were all newbies." Rachel elaborated.

Alec thought for a minute. "Have you ever been with a girl who made your legs go numb?"

Rachel shook her head. "Not while just fingering me. This one girl did do that when she went down on me, but that's all."

Alec sighed. "Well, I need you to have something to compare him with. I kind of wanted to avoid this." She turned to me and thought for another moment. "Nico, I'm going to need you to leave the room."

I stared at her. "Why?"

Alec glanced at Rachel. "I have to give her something to compare you with."

**Okay, so this chapter was getting long and I had to slim it down. I should have the next one up soon. If you have any opinions review or send a PM. I don't really care which.**

**R&R!!!!!!**


	13. boys are stupid

Nico's POV

After hearing everything that was going on in the room and having slipped up on imagining it once or twice, I was like a burning man. I should have realized that this was going to be hard.

Alec opened the door after what felt like hours of hearing Rachel's moans. Alec was wiping her hands on a rag as she spoke. "You can come back in."

I cleared my throat awkwardly and got up. I walked into the room and saw Rachel sitting on the bed in her boy-short panties with one hand in her hair and staring off in a daze.

Alec pulled something out of her jacket pocket and began to bang it against the heal of her hand. "Do you want one?" She asked Rachel.

Rachel glanced at her and nodded. Alec opened the pack and handed her a white stick.

"Are those what I think they are?" I asked.

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to tell?" She put a cigarette in her mouth and lit the end. She leaned onto the bed and lit Rachel's for her.

Rachel inhaled deeply and blew out the smoke with a sigh. I noticed Alec did the same but minus the sigh at the end. She was also still waiting for my response. "Um, no. I won't say anything."

Alec smiled. "Well, when she finishes that, you two can begin and Rachel can tell me all about it tomorrow and throw in some of the things she might think you should learn. Oh, and we are only learning the shit with hands today."

Alec started to walk out of the room, but I stopped her. "Uh, before you go . . . can you spare one of those?" I pointed to the pack in her hand.

Alec smirked. "You want a cancer stick?"

I nodded. "Cancer is the least of my problems right now."

Alec laughed and handed me her cigarette. "You can finish that." With that she left the room.

Rachel and I finished the cigarettes in silence. After we were done, I wasn't sure how to start this. I was sitting on the edge of the bed and Rachel was on the other side.

"Okay," Rachel started. "Why is this awkward?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"Well, let's fix this." Rachel crawled across the bed and sat on my lap to where she was now straddling my waist and then she took off her shirt to reveal a bra that matched her underwear. "Better?"

I stared at her for a minute. "Yeah, way better."

Rachel smiled. I leaned forward and kissed her. Rachel grinned against my lips and kissed me back.

After a few minutes of kissing I let my tongue trail along her bottom lip. Her lips parted and we started to fully make out.

Rachel's hands were around my neck and mine were trailing up and down her back, making her shiver.

When she moaned it was like something snapped inside me. I suddenly wasn't shy or awkward anymore. I pushed her back and rolled over to where I was on top of her. Rachel smiled again. "I think it's hot when you take control like that."

I couldn't help but grin as I continued to kiss her. Rachel's hands moved down my chest and she started to pull at my belt.

I grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. Rachel moaned. I ran one hand down her body while the other kept her hands in place above her head.

I cupped her right breast and squeezed lightly. Rachel moaned, "Harder."

I listened and did as I was told. Rachel was breathing raggedly and I decided that it was time to move on to what we were _really_ supposed to be doing.

Alec's POV

After leaving the room, I went back to my room laughing. Nico had defiantly fallen for it. Rachel and I never even touched each other in that room.

I had explained to her that I thought Nico had a thing for her and I knew that she liked him. I told her that this could be the way that they were able to mess around with each other without Nico getting scared of Apollo burning him up.

Rachel had agreed instantly and I told her that we would have to make Nico believe that we were . . . touching each other. Rachel faked moaning the whole time and then everything with Nico that followed was all acting on both of our parts.

I personally believe that we should get an academy award for that one.

Once I entered the room, Thalia walked up to me and smiled. "Did he fall for it?"

I smirked. "Boys can be hella stupid if you make the right noises. Oh, and the cigarettes at the end was a nice touch."

Thalia laughed and I kissed her. We continued to kiss . . . and kiss and kiss and then I was pushing her against the wall as if I couldn't help myself. And I really couldn't.

"Do you know how long it has been?" Thalia asked me roughly.

I kissed down her neck before answering. "Too long?"

Thalia moaned: her way of agreeing.

I found it funny that we weren't even three feet from the door and we were already all over each other like this. I held her against the wall and began to pull at her jeans.

Thalia moaned at my touch and begged for more. "Oh, gods. Mmmm."

I pulled her shirt off of her and kissed her chest. Thalia wrapped her hands around my neck and moaned. I kissed further and further down her chest until I reached her bra.

I ran my hands up her back and unclipped her bra without lifting my head from her chest. Once her bra was off, I continued my way down to her breast. I fondled her left boob while kissing and sucking on her right. I flicked my tongue against her nipple and Thalia moaned.

"Do you want to go to the room?" I asked roughly against Thalia's chest.

Thalia shook her head. "No, right here is fine."

I smirked against her skin and continued kissing my way down her stomach. Thalia shivered in response.

Nico's POV

Rachel and I were touching and groping each other in so many places and I was on edge. I knew Alec had said that this would turn me on but I didn't think it would be this much.

Thinking Alec's name was a mistake on my part. Why couldn't I get that girl out of my mind? I tried to bring my attention back to Rachel's body and it worked enough for me to continue rubbing her privates but not enough to fully get Alec out of my mind.

Rachel moaned and that did the trick. I slipped two fingers inside Rachel and her insides were warm and wet. I plunged my fingers in and out of her and she moaned my name. I ran my fingers against a sensitive spot, I guess, because Rachel gripped my shoulders tightly when I did.

I brought my fingers back and forth along that spot—just barely brushing it with the tips of my fingers like I had done the first time. Rachel cried out and squeezed my shoulders tightly. "Faster, oh, gods, Nico, go faster."

I sped up the movements of my fingers and Rachel began to rock her hips in turn with my hand. I dipped my fingers deeper wanting to see what her response would be.

Rachel gasped and moaned and bucked her hips. I pulled my fingers back and continued with the light brushing along her sweet spot—I was simply playing with her.

"Again," Rachel begged.

"What?" I asked playfully. "What do you want me to do to you?"

Rachel whimpered. "Go deeper. I want as much as I can take."

I raised an eyebrow. This girl was really turned on by me and I liked that.

I did as she asked and slowly pushed my fingers deeper. Rachel arched her back and cried out.

I was aware of the fact that I was hard but I ignored that—this was about Rachel. I pushed my fingers in and out of her, going as deep as I was allowed.

Rachel cried out and moan in pleasure. "Oh, Nico! Oh, gods . . . that feels . . . Mmmm."

I plunged my fingers as deep as I could and then spun them quickly in small circles. Rachel was holding on to me tightly and I could tell she was on the verge of an orgasm.

"Mmmm, Nico, more! I'm about to cum!"

I slipped a third finger inside Rachel and I knew that it wouldn't be long before she climaxed. I continued to rotate my fingers around her sensitive places and she bucked her hips and cried out.

I could feel a building pressure in my groin but I was trying really hard to ignore it.

Rachel cried out my name as she came on my hand and then she relaxed. She laid there breathing heavily and stared up at me.

I pulled my fingers out of her and—feeling her eyes still on me—I lifted my fingers to my mouth and cleaned them of her juices.

Rachel moaned as she watched me. "Wow."

I smirked at her and then lay down next to her.

Rachel sat up and eyed me up and down. Only when she looked down I remembered that I still had a hard-on. Rachel bit her lip.

"That was . . . amazing." She concluded.

I put on a cocky smile. "Not bad for a student, huh?"

"Not bad at all." Rachel smiled and then glanced down again. "Do you want me to take care of that?"

I felt my eyebrows pull together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Rachel grinned evilly and then pulled at my jeans. "I mean, I want to repay you."

Alec's POV

Once I reached Thalia's pants, I unbuttoned them quickly. As I continued to kiss lower, I would pull her jeans lower.

Thalia leaned her head back against the wall and moaned. I pulled her pants and panties off at the same time and bit the inside of her thigh.

Thalia jumped slightly, but then I heard her moan and I felt how wet she was so I figured it was okay to continue. I kissed and touched her in a lot of places that she seemed to really enjoy.

I kissed her up the inside of her thigh, but this time when I reached her center I didn't stop. I slid my tongue along she slit and Thalia moaned in wanting.

I plunged my tongue inside her and she cried out with delight. I could taste her wanting and desire.

I let my tongue enter in and out of her. Thalia hitched one leg over my shoulder and allowed me more access to her.

I flicked my tongue against her clit and she moaned loudly. Thalia's breathing was heavy and ragged. "Uhhhh, oh, gods!"

I kissed and licked every area I was allowed and Thalia bucked her hips. I saw her dig her nails into the wall and I knew it wasn't long until she reached her orgasm.

I continued to dip my tongue in and out of her. I would touch, tasted, kiss, and lick her over and over.

Finally, Thalia came and I ended our encounter by licking her slit once more. Thalia collapsed on the floor next to me and rested her head on my shoulder.

"That was . . . mmmm." Thalia said as she slowed her breathing.

I smiled and kissed her forehead. "Thanks, babe."

At that moment Thalia's stomach growled and we both laughed. I got up and headed to the kitchen.

Thalia put on her boy-shorts and followed me; she didn't bother with her bra. I jumped up onto the island and watched Thalia pick at the bag of grapes in the fridge.

I began to laugh at just how damn normal we were acting considering what had just taken place in the entranceway. Thalia raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"We are acting to fucking normal." I said still laughing.

Thalia came up and wrapped her arms around my waist. "How should we be acting?"

I smiled and reached around her to pop a grape in my mouth. "I'm not really sure."

Thalia laughed and then started kissing my neck. She ran her hands up my back and pulled my shirt off.

How this girl could turn me on so fast was beyond my knowledge. Thalia threw my shirt on the floor and my bra soon followed. "Is this how we should be acting?" Thalia whispered against my breast.

I couldn't help but moan as I answered. "If this is how you want to act, I am not going to question it."

Thalia laughed evilly and kissed my tits.

Nico's POV

Rachel unbuttoned my jeans and began kissing her way down my chest.

I wondered if Alec knew this is where this would lead.

_Fuck!_ Now I messed up and had Alec stuck in my head again. I was aware of the fact that Rachel was pulling down my jeans and tugging off my boxers, but I could only think of Alec now.

I moaned as Rachel stroked my dick. Why was Alec always in the back of my mind? Why couldn't I ever just _not_ think abou—.

"Oh, gods." I said when Rachel took my cock into her mouth.

She moved her head up and down. I moaned and closed my eyes—bad idea.

Now I was thinking about Alec. I could picture what it would be like if I were to—just for one night—share a room with her.

I could see her pushing me against the wall, in her rough but yet playful way. I could see myself kissing her and throwing her onto the bed we would share that night.

I saw her on top of me, with her soft but firm hands tightly wound in my hair. I would do so many things to Alec in that one night that she would never have to touch another man.

I could see myself with Alec straddling my waist—wanting to be dominant. I could see us wrestling for control of the other.

I knew I would be the first to give up. Alec would laugh in a seductive way and then we would begin wrestling to get the others clothes off. I would rip at her clothes and she would yank mine from my body. I could picture myself hovering over Alec as she dared me to take this further while using only her eyes—the eyes that can say a million words with just a glance.

I would position myself at her entrance and then place myself inside her. I could almost hear her cry out my name and I moaned aloud.

I was aware that it was Rachel who was taking my dick deeper and deeper into her mouth, but in my mind I was going deeper and deeper inside Alec.

She was screaming my name and moaning with pleasure. We were both building toward our climaxes. I could feel the burning sensation in my gut and the wetness on my dick.

I moaned over and over as—in my mind—I would place myself further inside Alec. I could hear her moans and cries in delight as she came on my cock.

The feeling of her bodily fluids would send me over the edge and I would cum inside her.

At that thought, I came. Rachel sat up and I opened my eyes.

Rachel smiled and then leaned her head against my chest. I placed my hand in her hair and drifted off to sleep. I could only think about Alec as I dreamed.

Alec's POV

Thalia's kisses soon reached my jeans. We locked eyes and Thalia un-did them—WITH HER TEETH!

It was so hot that I didn't even think to question where she had learned to do that.

Thalia pushed the upper half of my body back so that I was almost completely lying on the island. She pulled my underwear and pants off in one fluid motion and kissed the inside of my thighs.

I leaned my head back and moaned. Thalia reached my sweet spot and then dipped her tongue inside me. I moaned her name softly.

Thalia flicked her tongue and her hands softly scratched my thighs. She was causing me to feel electrical currents going up and down my legs and I fucking loved it.

Thalia's tongue was racing in and out of me over and over. My breathing was fast and shallow. "Oh, gods, Thalia, go faster." I found myself moaning.

Thalia always did as I told her when it came to this kind of thing. She sped up her movements.

Suddenly she slowed down and she pushed one of my thighs away so she had better access to my body. She pushed her mouth closer to me and I could feel the difference in how deep she was going.

I moaned and bucked my hips as her tongue entered in and out of me, exploring every curve of my insides. "Mmmm, Thalia, that feels . . . Mmmm."

The electrical zings continued until it felt like my legs were numb. I moaned Thalia's name over and over as she continued to get me closer and closer to an orgasm.

Thalia took the hand that she was using to hold aside my thigh and she slid it closer to my center. She did something—I'm not sure what seeing as I was hella close to mindlessness—and it again allowed her better access to go deeper.

Her other hand slid up my stomach and began groping my tit. She would rub and squeeze and it felt soooo fucking good!

I moaned and bucked my hips as I could barely hang on to my control. One hand grasped Thalia's as she continued to play with my nipple and squeeze my tit and the other knotted in Thalia's hair.

It seemed like my eyes were about to roll back out of sheer pleasure. I could hear myself moaning over and over to where they almost sounded like whimpers but it didn't register in my mind that it was really me making the sound.

"Oh, gods!" I could hear myself panting. "Oh, fuck! Uh . . . mmmm . . . that is so . . . Thalia, you're . . . mmmm!" I don't know if half of the shit I was saying was even coherent, but I didn't care.

I tightened my grip in Thalia's hair and she didn't seem to mind. I released the hand that had been holding Thalia's and gripped the edge of the island instead.

Thalia continued to dip her tongue inside me and lick every groove I had.

I arched my back as I came and I cried out Thalia's name.

Thalia lifted her head, ran her arm across her mouth, and leaned against my thigh as I propped myself up on one elbow. "How do you do that?" I asked in awe.

Thalia grinned and pulled me off the counter. "That is my secret and you will never know."

I frowned. I leaned in and kissed her on the neck and ran my hands in between her boobs. "I want to know, Thalia."

Thalia squirmed away and held my hands. "Let's go lay down."

I pulled her body close to mine again. "Thalia . . ."

"No," Thalia smiled. "I won't ever tell so give it up and come with me to bed."

I groaned. "Fine, but on one condition."

"What is that?"

I grinned. "You have to sleep naked . . . and _really_ close to me."

"Will you be going commando as well?" Thalia inquired.

I looked up as if to think about it. "If you want me to then I guess I would have no choice in the matter."

Thalia giggled and took off her panties. "Let's go."

She grabbed my hand and led the way to the room. Once we were in bed, I lay down on my back and Thalia crawled up next to me.

She placed her head on my chest and kissed my breast as she did, then she hooked one of her legs around mine so that we were fully entwined and I loved the feel of our naked bodies touching like this.

We both drifted off to sleep and for some strange reason . . . I dreamed about Nico.

**Okay, so there have been a few changes to the "relationship thing" but I got an interesting opinion from one of my reviewers and I am going to see where this is going.**

**As always R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	14. Sit down, Alec

Alec's POV

I stared into Thalia's eyes, my heart was heavy, but as the memories of the day came flooding back to me and I knew what I was about to do.

I knew how hard it would be. I had never had to do this before. I took a deep breath.

"I can't do this anymore." I choked out.

*** (Earlier that morning—or I guess night) ***

Percy's POV

I woke up that morning—or I guess night— at five forty and with a huge head ache. I didn't want to move. We had spent another week searching for the beast and hadn't found anything and this was the first real bed we had slept in for what felt like a long while.

We only knew that the monster was moving closer and closer to the ocean—we were maybe a quarter mile from the Gulf of Mexico. I was really starting to hate walking and I was soooo tired and this bed was soooo comfortable.

I started to doze off again, but of course that just _can't_ happen!

Annabeth shook me hard. "Percy, we have to talk."

I groaned and rolled away from her. "What about?"

Annabeth paused for a minute and then said, "I'm pregnant . . . I think."

I froze where I was. I couldn't make myself roll over or open my eyes or even make my heart beat again.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked after a while. "I said I think I'm—"

"I heard you." I said quickly. I rolled over slowly and looked at her. "You said you _think_, right?"

Annabeth nodded. "I took a test and—"

I held up a hand and she stopped talking. "You've already taken a test?" She nodded. "When?"

"When Alec and I went to the store together. That night we stayed—"

"I remember." I thought for a minute. "You have known this for . . . over a week now and you never said anything to me about it?"

Annabeth hesitated. "I didn't want—."

"And Alec knew to?" I said. I was too busy processing all of my thoughts to worry about what Annabeth was going to say. "Why would you tell her and not me? That is supposedly my child and you told my sister about it but you didn't say shit to me?"

"What the hell do you mean 'supposedly'?" Annabeth asked. I ignored the angry look on her face.

"You can't even try to get mad at me! I'm the one who was lied to."

"I never lied to you, Percy!"

"You're right you just didn't tell me!" I glared at her. "Is there any other secrets you're keeping?"

Annabeth hesitated. She took a deep breath, "Look, Percy, Alec kept my secret so I have to keep hers."

I stared at her. "I didn't even think you liked her!"

"I didn't . . . until she pulled over at the gas station and told me to take the test there." Annabeth looked away. "I know I should have told you."

"Yeah, but you didn't, Annabeth." I pointed out. "And now you're keeping secrets for Alec? I thought you trusted me with important shit. How am I going to help you or my sister if you don't tell me what's going on?"

Annabeth stared at me and then looked away. "I do trust you, Percy, and I know you want to help, but I don't think Alec needs help with—"

"She is my sister; I should be the judge of that." I interrupted.

Annabeth was starting to tear up. "I don't want you to think I don't trust you, but I don't want Alec hating me either. You're putting me in a place where I'm fucked either way."

I thought about that. I felt bad that she was right, but I needed to know things if I was going to protect my family. "If Alec is keeping a secret that could get her into trouble, then I need to know. I know this puts you in a bad place, Annabeth, and I'm sorry." I sighed. "If you think that she wouldn't get hurt from this then tell me and I'll drop it, but if there is even a slight possibility then, please, you have to tell me."

Annabeth's eyes were filled with tears and she wouldn't look at me. "Okay, Percy, you win. Alec and Thalia . . ."

And then she told me the story.

Alec's POV

It was three in the afternoon and I was awake before everyone else. The hotel was dark and Thalia was curled up next to me. I slid away from her and went over to the desk.

I had been thinking about this for days and I figured now was the time to go through with it.

It was getting harder and harder to fight the craving. I was fighting and fighting, but it was just too hard.

Every I looked at Nico; I could picture me drinking his blood in my underwater air pocket. I had lost my ability to be repulsed by the scene.

I needed to find the monster on my own; I had to get it to give me back my . . . whatever it took when Ashley bit me. I could feel that part of me was missing—and I knew the monster would have it.

I couldn't be around the others right now. At this point, it wasn't just Nico who was looking tasty.

I couldn't even kiss Thalia without shivering from want. And it wasn't my usual want either. I had several dreams over the past three nights about me kissing Thalia's neck and then biting her and drinking the delicious liquid that ran through her body.

I've had dreams about killing everyone in our traveling party—but especially about Nico.

Nico and I had become great friends since the night I tricked him into fooling around with Rachel. We would talk and laugh and the whole time I would think about his blood—it wasn't natural.

I grabbed a piece of paper off the desk and a pen out of my bag. I couldn't help, but light a cigarette as I wrote. I reminded myself to keep the note very vague as I took a deep drag off the cigarette. Thalia would read this in just a few short hours.

After I finished my letter I folded it in half and wrote her name on the front with a flourish. I laid it in the bed next to her.

I reached out and touched her shoulder lightly. I wish I could explain everything to her, but I knew that wasn't possible; I didn't even have all the answers.

I grabbed my gear and left the room. As I walked down the hall, I paused in front of Percy's room.

I took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. He and Annabeth were lying in bed and he had his arms around her protectively.

I couldn't help but stare at them. I could see the love for her on Percy's face even as he slept. I touched my fingers to my lips and then set them on his forehead.

Percy was my one and only big brother. I loved him dearly even though I would never admit it allowed.

I glanced at Annabeth, her arms wrapped around Percy's and she was smiling easily in her sleep. "You take care of him." I whispered.

I left the room and took the stairs down to the lobby. I was always the one to run away but it had never been this hard to go before. I was never leaving anything that I cared for behind when I had left a place in the past.

I managed to force myself out the door, onto the street, and then farther and farther from the hotel.

I didn't know when I would see them again, but I knew it wasn't going to be until after I saw the monster and got it to take away whatever curse I had.

Thalia's POV

I woke up at six in the morning. I noticed that Alec's arms weren't around me so I got up and went to look around.

I stopped in the kitchen and put one of those microwave egg, cheese, and biscuit things in the microwave.

I gave the hotel a once over and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, except for the slight scent of cigarette smoke—Alec must have had a bad dream.

I ate my biscuit thing as I waited for Alec to come back. She was most likely out on the roof with Nico or something. I wasn't sure that I liked the two of them hanging out as much as they did, but I wasn't going to ask her to stop.

I went back into the room after a few minutes and noticed the note with my name. I picked it up and unfolded it.

_Thalia,  
I have to leave. I have several questions that I need answered and I'm afraid that won't happen if I'm with all of you. Everyone is safer if I'm gone. I'll see you once I figure things out.  
Love always,  
Alec.  
P.S. tell Percy if he tries to come after me, I will beat the H__2__O out of his DNA._

I stared at the paper. There was no way Alec was gone.

I reread the note several times before finally running from the room. I ran over to Percy's room.

I hesitated slightly at the door. Alec really would kick Percy's ass if he found her before she finished whatever it was she had to do. The only thing was . . . I could feel in my gut that whatever she was planning had to do with finding the monster.

I pictured her all alone down in the tunnels . . . I wasn't going to let that happen.

I began pounding on the door. "Percy! Open the door!"

The door flew open and Percy glared at me. I slammed the paper into his hands before he could yell at me for waking him up.

"What's that?" Annabeth called from the bed.

Percy was staring at the note in shock. "Alec is gone."

"What?" Annabeth sprang from the bed and grabbed the note from Percy. She read it several times and then looked up. "Does anyone else get the feeling she is going to go find the monster?"

Percy had a look on his face like he was sick to his stomach. I'm sure his face matched mine as we nodded. Percy sat back on the bed and stared off into space. "I need a drink."

"We need to go find her." I said. "She could be all alone in those tunnels."

"She said not to look for her." Annabeth pointed out.

I stared at the two of them. "When has that ever stopped us before?"

Percy and Annabeth exchanged looks. "You're right."

"I'll come up with a plan. Percy, you and Thalia should go wake everyone up. And it might be best not to tell the others until it is necessary." Annabeth instructed.

Percy and I nodded and then quickly left the room. I could feel Percy sending glances at me, but I didn't care. We needed to find Alec, kill the monster, and then get back to camp safely.

Percy's POV

Of all the times for her to run off it had to be now? She must have felt that I was going to KILL her. Now she is going to get it double time.

I can't believe she would do something this stupid. Was she not listening when Rachel—or the Oracle—said not all of us would come back? Gods, that girl could be stupid!

I couldn't stop glancing at Thalia. I knew she saw me, but thankfully she didn't ask. If she did, I would end up spilling everything and yelling at her for putting my sister in danger.

Zeus would kill Alec if he found out that she and Thalia were . . . involved. I should have caught on so much sooner. They were so not just best friends.

"You get Rachel and Nico and I'll wake up Max and Nox." Thalia said.

I nodded. I was thankful not to have to endure this any longer. I stopped at Nico and Rachel's room when Thalia kept walking.

I brought my fist down hard on the door without really meaning to. After the first time I hit the door, I couldn't help but do it again.

This morning fucking sucks! I could be a father! My sister is gone! My sister was lying to me this whole time! Thalia and my girlfriend were lying to me to! Why the fuck is it so hard to just—.

Nico opened the door. "Dude, what the fuck?"

"You knew, huh?" The words hadn't meant to come out of my mouth, but once I said them I couldn't take them back.

"I knew what?" Nico asked confused.

I stepped inside the room and looked around. "Is Rachel still asleep?"

"Yean, man, what is going on?" Nico asked annoyed. "You come over here hella fucking early and then you—"

"You knew Thalia and Alec were together, didn't you?"

Nico froze, but then tried to cover it by looking confused. "What are you talking about?"

I glared at him. "Why can't anyone here tell the truth? I get lied to by my girlfriend, my friends, and my sister. Who else knows?"

Nico hesitated. "I'm not sure. They didn't tell too many people because they didn't want to bring too much attention to it."

At least they made _one_ smart move. "Wake Rachel up and get ready fast."

Nico nodded and then stopped to look at me for a minute. "What's going on? It's more than the Alec and Thalia situation, isn't it?"

I shook my head. "Just get ready."

"What happened?" Nico stared at me. "What's wrong?"

I sighed; I wasn't going to be able to hide this from Nico. "Alec is gone."

Nico stared at me in shock. I expected him to ask more questions once his shock wore off, but he just clenched his teeth and looked angry. "I should have guessed she would do this." He glanced at me as if realizing I was still in the room. "I'll go get Rachel."

I wanted to ask why he thought he should have guessed it, but he walked away to fast. I was glaring at the counter.

Alec, Thalia, Annabeth, and Nico had been keeping this from me.

Alec could get herself killed from this and no one seemed to think it was important enough for me to know about it.

I was already tired of this.

Alec's POV

At six or so I was underground. I could feel a pulsing vibration through the tunnels. It was so much easier to find the creature without the others around.

I could feel a link between us: The monster and I. He had enjoyed watching me interact with the others.

I could feel that it was a he and I knew—without a doubt—that he had been watching me. He had even caught the part with Nico and me underwater.

He was replaying that scene over and over in my head—trying to drive me crazy.

I held on though. I focused on the tunnels and the short distance I felt between the monster and I.

How was it that I could since this thing so easily? I could barely even catch its trail when all eight of us were working together.

I turned a corner and saw a large set of doors. The pulsing was strong.

I could feel the monster just beyond these doors—it was waiting.

I quickened my steps. I had already decided that this is what I needed to do. I walked steadily to the end of the corridor and lifted my hands to shove the doors aside.

I froze. What was behind this door? What if I never came out once I entered?

"Come in, Alec." A voice boomed behind the door.

I jumped back. I took a deep breath—there was no way some blood sucking freak was going to scare me out of answers. I shoved forward and entered a dark room.

I looked around and saw a table in the middle of the room with one chair next to two glasses of—what looked like—red wine.

"Sit down, Alec." The voice said. I could see a figure rise from a chair in the corner and he dragged the chair to the table across from me. "I would like to speak with you."

I stared at him. He didn't seem older than nineteen. I could tell that he had light colored hair—most likely blonde—and wasn't very much taller than Percy.

His most dominant feature was his glowing red eyes; they almost seemed to illuminate the room.

"What are you?" I asked without moving from my place.

The boy sat down and waved a hand to the chair. "Please sit, Alec, I will answer all of your questions as soon as I'm sure you're comfortable. Any friend of Thalia's and Annabeth's is a friend of mine."

I stood in my place. "How do you know Thalia and Annabeth?"

I could make out a smile creeping across the boy's face. "We used to be friends. It was a long time ago, but I still like to think of them as my friends. Sit down and I'll explain everything."

I sighed and didn't see any choice in the matter. I walked forward and sat down. "I want answers."

"I understand." The boy sighed. "I will begin when I ran away from home . . ."

Percy's POV

The seven of us went back into the tunnels. Rachel couldn't find a trail to follow so we were going in blind.

The darkness was bugging everyone and—judging from the amount of flashlights we had—I could figure that Alec didn't take any with her.

Now I couldn't stop having these visions in my mind of Alec running around down here in the dark.

Why couldn't she have at least taken one? It would have at least made me feel a little better.

Nico and Thalia had been on edge as well. Nico kept muttering about Alec being in over her head and Thalia was on the verge of tears constantly.

I hated having Annabeth back in these tunnels. If she was . . . yeah, well, she shouldn't be in any kind of danger or under this kind of stress. I found it strange that I couldn't even think the word. It was like if I thought it then that would make it real.

Rachel gasped suddenly and fell forward. Nox was closest to her and he barely managed to keep her from face planting.

"_The lost demi-god has found the child of the sea  
He holds her close and he holds the key  
The choice was made for her and she does her best  
What she chooses in the end will conclude her test  
The Gods cannot help her as neither can you  
Only the lost one knows what to do  
The story he tells her is not a fluke  
Alec will be safe as she resides with Luke"_

I glanced around at everyone. Annabeth and Thalia had gone pale, Nox and Max were confused, Nico was thinking, and Rachel was looking around dazed.

"It couldn't mean . . ." I started. "She can't be with . . ."

"It's not possible." Annabeth said.

"He's dead . . . isn't he?" Thalia sounded scared.

It was Nico who concluded everything with seven words. "She's with Luke; the Oracle's never wrong."

**Dun dun duuuun!!! Lol I have to end this chapter here, but what was at the beginning will definitely be in the next chapter . . . or the one after.**

**I want to let you guys know that the "Rachel and Alec" bit was all a prank on Nico and they never really did anything—just letting you know cuz some people didn't seem to get that.**

**Anyways . . . as always R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	15. Fas

**Sorry it took longer to update than usual but I had a close friend (The one in my profile pic with me) getting in trouble over bull shit and needed someone to be there for her. I also had a writing test that I have to pass to graduate and . . . . I think I failed. **

**Anyways enough with the personal shit and I'll get on with the story.**

**R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Alec's POV

Luke was quiet after he told me about his experience with Thalia and Annabeth as they were younger.

I was staring at him. "You think you can bring me down here and convince me to break up with Thalia, don't you?"

He had been talking a lot about the way they cared for each other and how they were so super close. At one point I swore he almost said they had been in love, but he had made a very nice cover it was almost invincible.

Luke raised a hand as if to try and calm me. "That wasn't what I wanted to do at all, Alec. Understand that many of the things you are hearing and seeing are going to be hard for you to understand."

I scoffed. "You need me to understand that I'm not going to understand? What the fuck kind of bull shit mumbo jumbo is that?"

"It is not bull shit, Alec." Luke said. His hands were shaking slightly and I could tell he was becoming angry. Tough. "You need to listen to everything I have to say."

"I have been listening and all you seem to want to talk about is Thalia!" I snapped. I didn't know why but when he spoke of her, it sent furious shivers down my spine. She meant something more to him than just an old friend. I could feel it in my fucking bones.

Luke sat back and stared at me. "Maybe I am not the best person to explain about Thalia." There it was—another furious shiver raced through me.

"Maybe you're right." I said through clenched teeth.

Luke snapped his finger and a Hell Hound came into the room. I stiffened in my seat and watched it closely for a movement indicating attack. Luke tapped his fingers on the table a few times and the lights in the room started to shimmer.

After a few moments they went out and I reached for Under Tow. I had just pulled it out when the lights came back on.

The room was a little smoky, but the Hell Hound was gone.

Instead there was a woman—maybe in her late twenty's—who stood beside Luke. She had long black hair and eyes as silver as the moon. I couldn't help but feel like I knew those eyes.

"Who is she?" I whispered to Luke.

"This is Maggie." Luke said.

Maggie came forward and eyed me closely. "I'm Thalia's mother."

Percy's POV

"We're going in circles!" Thalia groaned.

I sighed. "We have to keep walking though." I waved to another tunnel. "Why don't we try this one?"

Annabeth shook her head. "We have been through there before."

I searched each tunnel. "What about that one?" I motioned to another tunnel.

"We've been here too." Nico said.

"We haven't been through this one." Rachel said pointing to an opening in the ground.

"Is that even a tunnel?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia rushed over to examine the entrance. "Who cares? We have to try it."

With that Nico and Thalia lifted the grate and Thalia dropped inside. Nico was next to jump down, then Rachel, then Max, Nox and I lifted Annabeth down slowly, and then Nox went. I glanced around at the cluster of tunnels one last time and then I let myself fall into the whole.

The darkness was worse here and that made the flashlights seem brighter when someone shined them into your eyes by mistake. Annabeth looked pale and clammy. "Are you okay?" I asked.

She started to answer but turned and barfed instead. I came over to her and set my hand on her back. She pushed me away. "Go on, Percy, I wanna be alone."

"We can't leave you by yourself, Annabeth." I told her.

"I'll be fine, Percy." Annabeth gagged again and began puking again.

I sighed. "Annabeth—"

"I'll stay with her." Rachel said suddenly.

I jumped and stared at her. "What?"

Rachel came over and placed her hand on Annabeth's forehead. "I can take care of her, Percy. You need to go find the rest of your family."

I stared at Rachel. "Thank you."

Rachel smiled. "I'm going to take good care of her, Percy."

I patted her shoulder. "I know you will, Rach."

I stood and we began walking again. After another hour we could hear voices. I began to walk faster and the others followed.

We turned a corner and there was a large set of doors.

I glanced around at everyone. "Everyone stay on your guard."

Alec's POV

I stared at Maggie. "I . . . I thought Thalia's mother . . . was dead."

"Luke brought me back." Maggie explained. I could see the similarities between Thalia and her, but that didn't make this anymore real.

The hint of silver that sparked in Thalia's eyes when she was planning something dangerous was the same silver in Maggie's eyes now. They had the same way of standing and moving and glaring.

"He told me all the requirements that would come with this life and asked if it was something I was willing to live with." Maggie continued. "And I agreed. Once I had left the Underworld, he began to tell me of Thalia and how she has turned out."

I began to get a sinking feeling in my stomach. "What all did he tell you?"

Maggie turned to Luke. "Sweetheart, do you mind giving Alec and me some privacy?"

Luke shook his head. "Not at all, ma'am." He left the room quickly after that.

Maggie turned back to me with a calm but judgmental look. "Luke explained to me about you and my daughter's . . . relationship." She said the word with disgust and I made a mental note to tell Thalia that I did not care too much for her mother.

"Do you mean the fact that I sleep with your daughter?" I asked sweetly. I have never been good with parents so don't ask me why I said that.

Maggie clenched her fists. "Do you love my daughter, Alec?"

I froze. "I . . . I don't know. What kind of a question is that?"

"It is a yes-or-no question, Alec." Maggie snapped.

I felt like my voice box was broken. I couldn't form any coherent responses. I coughed awkwardly as Maggie continued to wait for an answer.

Finally Maggie gave up. "If you cannot answer that question, maybe you can answer this one: Do you believe my daughter loves you?"

I thought about that. "I believe it's possible."

Maggie shook her head. "That is where you are wrong, Alec. Thalia has only been in love once and he looked a whole lot different in a camp half-blood T-shirt."

I stared at her. I couldn't think of anything to say so I just stared at her in shock. I had thought I knew Thalia, but she had _never_ mentioned being in love before.

I stood up from my chair and walked to the doors. No one tried to stop me, but I turned around. "Who was Thalia's first love?"

Maggie glanced at me uncaringly. "That would be Luke."

Something snapped internally. I wasn't going to leave through the doors I had entered anymore. Instead I crossed the room and burst through the doors that Luke had gone through.

Luke was leaning against the wall and started to speak when he saw me.

I reached up and slapped him across the face. "You said that you weren't trying to break me and Thalia up. You lied. I want to leave and I want you to take away this curse. You _are_ going to do this within the next few seconds or I will kill you and I'll just ask the gods for help."

Luke's eyes were dark now and he glared at me intently. "You have been given the mark of the GreatOne." He pointed to the bite mark on my arm. "I cannot take this away because it is _not_ a curse. You have been granted a mighty gift; the gift of a thousand life-times."

"I don't want a thousand lives! I want _one_! And I want that one to be normal!" I shouted at him. "If you cannot get rid of this, take me to someone who can!"

"It angers the GreatOne to have you scream at his profit." Luke said with a deadly calm voice. "I would suggest you quit while you're ahead."

"Oh, fuck you, Luke!" I yelled. "I don't care anymore; just get me out of here."

Luke frowned. "You cannot leave the tunnels during the day."

"I've done it before." I pointed out.

"You're not leaving."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

I began to walk away, but Luke grabbed my arm. "Alec, you will not—"

I punched him in the face and he stumbled back a few steps. "Watch me!"

I ran as fast as I possibly could. The dark tunnels began to blur around me and I continued to push myself further.

I could hear the sounds of a Hell Hound coming after me, but I didn't even glance behind me.

I found myself sensing where I needed to go. I could feel the distance that was between me and my needed destination.

I wasn't even sure if I knew where I needed to go right now, but my gut was leading me in a way that seemed to work just fine with me.

I pushed myself to run faster as the sounds of the Hound became closer. My breath was coming faster and my heart was pounding.

I was really regretting that cigarette that I had this morning. My lungs were beginning to ache and my legs were starting to cramp.

I wasn't even sure how far I had run already, but I knew that I had to make it another fifty meters.

I suddenly felt my right leg being pulled out from under me and wetness soaked it at the same moment my brain registered the pain shooting through my leg.

The Hell Hound jumped onto my chest and made a try for my throat. I threw up my arm and felt a searing pain shoot through it as a result to the bite.

I tried to get Under Tow, but I couldn't reach it. I shouted in frustration as the Hound snapped at me for a second time.

I pushed forward with one arm and brought my left knee up to the Hound's chest—trying to get some leverage.

When the Hound tried for my throat again, I brought my wounded arm around and caught it in its face. The Hound lost its balance and fell sideways off of me.

I used the wall to stand and reached for Under Tow. I had just pulled it from my pocket when the Hell Hound jumped me again.

I dropped Under Tow and was knocked to the ground again.

This time the Hound was raking its claws along my stomach and I knew that it would leave a mark. I caught sight of Under Tow on the ground and decided not to wait for it to appear in my pocket.

I threw a few punches at the Hound and then reached for Under Tow.

FUCK! It was just a few inches out of my reach.

I kicked and punched under the Hell Hound but it only scooted me a centimeter or two.

I was beginning to lose my cool. I was so angry and frustrated. "Get the fuck off me you stupid fucking puppy!" I screamed at the Hell Hound. I knew it couldn't understand me but it sure as hell felt good to do. "You are a sorry excuse for a dog, let alone a hound!"

The creature stopped for a moment and I saw anger in its eyes. Something in my gut told me that this Hound _could_ understand what I was saying.

"Oh, shit!" I shouted as the Hound came in for more attacks.

I had enough time to kick one foot forward and was thankful when it pushed me closer to Under Tow.

I threw my arm out desperately and screamed a silent thanks to Poseidon when I felt the cool metal in my grasp.

I uncapped the pen with one hand and marveled—as I always do—when it transformed into a celestial bronze trident.

The Hell Hound snarled at the weapon and backed a couple steps away. I stood up shakily but refused to look at my leg—if I saw the damage, I might realize how impossible it is to get out of here.

The Hell Hound started to come forward again but I trashed Under Tow in its direction and it rethought the idea.

I took small steps backwards as the Hound advanced on me. When I felt it was to close I jabbed out with Under Tow and again it would back away.

The tunnel was narrow enough that I didn't have to worry about it coming at me from the sides. It was stuck and—though I hate to admit it—I was in the same boat as this Hound.

I realized that normally a Hell Hound would have run off at the sight of Under Tow, but this one _really_ didn't like my trash talk.

"What's the matter, pup?" I teased. I needed this thing to attack already so I could kill it and move on. "You don't take criticism well, do you?"

The Hell Hound growled loudly. I noticed this Hound was different from the others. It wasn't just because it understood me, but it also lacked the red glowing eyes that seemed to be a fashion statement around these tunnels.

"You're not one of them, are you?" I asked softly. "You're just a hungry little guy?"

The Hound slowed in its advancing and soon we were both standing still. I stared into the Hound's eyes and it was staring into mine.

That's when I heard the other sounds. There were more Hell Hounds coming down the tunnels.

They must have thought this guy was one of their own.

I noticed the way the Hound's ears twitched and the way it shifted slightly.

I slowly set down Under Tow and the Hell Hound watched me with interest. "I'm going to get you some food, okay, boy? I just need you to leave after I do so that way we can both be gone when they get here."

The Hound didn't make any movement that said he understood but I prayed to the wounded Artemis that he wouldn't kill me now.

I decided to continue talking to the Hound. "Do you have a name?" The Hound tilted its head to the side and I figured that was a no. "I could give you a name, if you want me to."

I reached around and took off my pack. I was aware that the sounds of the Hell Hounds were getting closer and I began to move quicker.

"How do you like . . . Carlos?" I asked. The Hound growled; I wasn't sure if it had been meant for the name or for my slowness in getting its food, but I took it as a no.

"What about Tyler?"

I pulled out four steaks that I had stolen from the hotel and threw them to the Hound.

The Hell Hound ate them quickly without growling about the name I had just mentioned and then looked back up at me.

"That's all I have so can you please leave?" I asked hurriedly. I didn't like that I was talking to this Hound instead of trying to kill it but I knew I had no chance in out running it or the ones behind it if I didn't hurry and move on.

The Hound ducked its head and turned around as two Hell Hounds came around the corner twenty yards behind us.

I snatched up Under Tow and my bag and started to move backward slowly.

The two Hounds growled at the Hell Hound I had just made a deal with. There was a brief pause and then the two of them charged forward.

I was a sure goner, I thought. I turned and tried running but the wound on my leg was far too great.

I was tripping over small rock and wincing in pain and all the while still trying to run.

I felt something grabbed my shirt and I just _knew_ it was a Hell Hound. I figured that I was about to be dragged off to my death now.

Then I felt myself being pulled off my feet and I was set on a back. At first I thought that I was wanted alive but I soon realized that I was still moving forward.

I looked around and took in everything.

I was on a Hell Hound's back and moving really fast in the same direction that I had wanted to go. I could see two Hell Hounds chasing me.

The two Hounds behind us had red eyes and something told me that if I looked at the one I was ridding, it wouldn't.

I smiled and patted the Hell Hound. "Way to go, Hell Hound!"

The Hound barked happily and continued to speed forward.

Percy's POV

There were sounds of people arguing on the other side of the doors.

I knew that Alec had came down this very hall way and passed through these same doors. I pulled out Riptide and approached the doors.

"Do not worry about this!" a man's voice shouted.

"I can worry about anything that I wish!" a woman screamed back. She sounded older than the male.

Thalia placed a hand over her mouth as she listened. I glanced at her and mouthed, "What is it?"

Thalia swallowed and looked unsure. "My mother?" she mouthed back to me.

I stared at her, "I thought—"

"So was Luke." She pointed out.

I nodded. "Ready?"

Thalia sighed and nodded.

We kicked open the doors and took in the room.

There was a stone table, two chairs, a wine bottle, and two full wine glasses. The room was to dark to make out any decorations or lack thereof but we could see the two people in the room just fine.

One was a woman I had never met before. She had silver eyes, black hair, and a shocked expression that matched the one that Thalia had perfectly. I assumed that Thalia had been correct in her assumption outside the doors.

The second person was a male that I would never forget. I do not think I need to describe him—he hadn't changed a bit since the last time I saw him except for the red eyes part—with more than a single word: Luke.

I opened my mouth to demand to know where Alec was and what Luke had done with her, but another voice cut me off. "Thalia!"

Thalia's mother was staring at Thalia in shock and happiness. Thalia just looked shocked. "You're . . . I mean, how . . . _you died_!" Thalia concluded.

"Luke brought me back, honey." Thalia's mother said with a small smile. "We can be a family again."

Thalia looked at Luke in pure amazement. "How?"

Luke was quiet at first—just staring at Thalia. "I have been bitten by the GreatOne. I have the ability to bring others back from the Underworld as long as they are willing to fulfill the requirements."

I looked at Thalia's mother. "I'm going to guess that you agreed."

Thalia's mother nodded. "I was able to watch Thalia grow up for many years after my death but Hades caught me on the day that Grover had found you and I never got an opportunity again. I would have done anything to see Thalia."

I turned to Luke. "And you preyed on that, didn't you?"

Luke looked offended. "I do not prey off of anyone. I knew how much Thalia cared for her mother and I knew how much her mother cared for her."

I rolled my eyes. "So you were just being a nice guy? Is that it?"

"I was trying." Luke said. I could tell by the way his hands were shaking that he was getting angry with me. Tough.

"Alright then why don't you explain these 'requirements'? Does the person have to pledge themselves to the almighty Luke?" I said sarcastically.

Luke glared at me. "The requirements are none of your concern, Percy. The only ones in your little group that need to be thinking about it would be Thalia—for obvious reasons," He waved his hand at Thalia's mother as he said it. "And . . . your absolutely charming little sister."

Acid turned in my stomach. "What did you do to my sister?"

Luke lifted his hands innocently. "The GreatOne told me to bite Ashley and pass my gift onto her. She in turn bit your younger sister and now your sister has some duties to fulfill."

"What are they?" I asked through clenched teeth.

Luke laughed menacingly. "Percy, I have told you that is none—"

"That is my sister, Gods damnit!" I yelled at him.

"She has to drink blood." Nico said suddenly.

"What?" everyone apart from Thalia's mom and Luke asked.

"They have to drink blood." Nico looked at all the people that were staring at him like he was insane and then turned to Luke. "That's what it is, isn't it?"

Luke nodded. "After being bitten, the person must make a kill within the next week. If they fail to make that kill, they will be dead within a month."

"But Alec was bitten over a month ago." Nico pointed out.

"When she drank your blood in the tunnels, it was enough to keep her alive longer." Luke explained.

I held my hands up. "Wait, wait, wait. Alec drank your blood?" I asked Nico.

Nico nodded. "I would have told you but she was freaking out and made me swear not to or she would de-ball me with a box cutter."

I turned to Luke. "You turned my little sister into a . . . vampire?" I could hear the outrage in my voice and I'm sure the others could to.

Luke shook his head. "We are not 'vampires', Percy. It is true that we must drink blood once a day to survive, sunlight does hurt us yet it is possible for us to enter without dying, and we do not age, but we have differences."

"How do you get rid of it?" I asked in a hollow tone.

Luke looked sad. "Your sister came here asking the same thing."

"Alec was here?" I asked. "Where is she now, Luke?"

"She ran off." Luke shook his head. "I didn't even have the time to tell her what the requirements were before she left."

"Did you tell her how to get rid of the curse?" I snarled.

Luke's eyes filled with instant anger. "This is not a curse! You and your sister are very much alike, Percy. Neither of you can see the beauty in a gift such as this one! There is no way to break the _curse_ because there simply _is no curse_!"

I shot across the room and grabbed Luke by his throat. "How do you get rid of whatever the fuck it is you did to my sister?" I spoke the words with the most deadly tone I had ever heard myself utter.

"You can't!" Luke snapped as he fought against my grip. "Let me go, Percy!"

"Percy Jackson, release him!" Thalia's mother instructed.

She started to cross the room but Thalia stepped in front of her and drew her weapon.

"What are you doing, Thalia?"

Thalia stared her mother in the eyes. "I'm sorry, but what Percy is doing needs to be done."

"I thought you would want us to be a family again." Thalia's mother said. She sounded heartbroken and I almost felt sorry for her.

Thalia looked away from her mother's eyes. "You died a long time ago, mom. I have become numb to emotions since then. I didn't care about anyone or anything—"

"That's not true, honey." Thalia's mother insisted. "I saw the way you, Luke, and Annabeth were together. You loved Luke, Thalia, even though you won't admit it to yourself."

"Let me go, Percy!" Luke shouted so I missed out on what Thalia had to say to her mother.

I was forced to turn my attention back to Luke. "Tell me how to get her back to normal."

Luke hissed evilly at me. "I don't know."

"Well, before it was 'there isn't one' so at least we're getting somewhere." I said.

Luke's skin was now a pale color and his eye seem even redder. "You have to ask the GreatOne. He can tell you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to take us there?"

Luke nodded. "I swear on the River Styx."

I let him go, but rolled my eyes. "Your swears aren't shit to me, Luke."

Luke was gasping for air. "You will pay for that someday, Percy."

"Today is not that day, Luke." I pulled him to his feet and pushed him through another set of doors. "Let's go, Leech, time's being wasted."

Rachel's POV

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to the hotel?" I asked Annabeth for the fiftieth time. "You will be much more comfortable there."

Annabeth was sweaty and pale. "I want to be here when Percy comes back." She said softly.

I touched her forehead. "I think you're running a fever, Annabeth. You feel warm."

"Rachel, it's nothing, just a little morning sickness that's all." Annabeth mumbled.

I stared at her. "What?" I placed my hand on her stomach and closed my eyes. I could feel a small light coming from her and I _knew_. "Annabeth, how could you not tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Rachel." Annabeth gagged and barfed again.

I began to hear footsteps coming toward us and I pulled out my sword. "Who's there?"

Annabeth started to stand next to me but I pushed her back down. Once she was on the floor, she was too weak to try and stand again.

The shape of a woman began to become visible if I focused hard enough. "Oracle of Delphi put away your weapon and let me see my daughter."

"Athena?" I asked in awe.

The woman came up to me and she looked no older than twenty. Her eyes were the same stormy blue-grey eyes that Annabeth had and the same blond, curly hair.

Annabeth opened her eyes and smiled at the woman. "Mother?"

"Yes, dear, it is me." Athena said without taking her eyes from mine. "Will you please put down your weapon?"

I realized that I was still holding my sword and I put it away instantly. "I apologize, Goddess, I was surprised by your appearance."

Athena smiled. "That is of little importance now. Annabeth is not in great health."

Annabeth opened her eyes. "What do you mean, mother?"

Athena leaned down and took Annabeth's hand in hers. "My daughter, it is not possible for a demi-god to be with child. There are always complications."

Annabeth's shock seemed to give her strength. She sat up and placed one hand on her stomach. "What do you mean, 'complications'?"

I remembered reading books I checked out from Athena's library about demi-god children. I was now realizing that I could not name a single demi-god woman becoming pregnant. Was there even a name for a child of two demi-gods?

"We will discuss the matter later, my child." Athena said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Now we must get you back to Olympus." Athena turned to me. "You will be coming with us as well, Oracle. We must have someone to foresee the future of this fetus."

I stared at her. "Um, yes, Athena, err, Goddess, I would be honored."

Athena took one of my hands and one of Annabeth's. "Close your eyes, girls. You must not see as we transfer ourselves to our destination."

Annabeth closed her eyes and held on to her stomach. I followed the goddess's instructions and closed mine as well.

Alec's POV

I was riding on a Hell Hound! The idea was still shocking to me.

I could hear the growling and snarling behind us. I glanced back and saw the other Hounds were right on our tail—literately.

There was a sharp snapping sound behind me and my Hound yelped painfully.

"Keep running, boy." I shouted.

The Hound picked up its pace. I pulled out Under Tow and the Hounds behind us slowed a bit.

After a minute or two the Hell Hounds were beginning to catch up with us again.

I could hear more snapping sounds from the evil Hell Hounds.

"Come on, boy!" I said as I patted my Hound's sides.

He was tired and I could tell. I could also feel the pulling in my gut getting stronger.

Whatever I needed to get to wasn't far now. At most it was ten yards away.

I was starting to see a dim light at the end of the tunnel—in a literal and metaphorical since.

We were speeding toward it and almost there to.

There was another loud snap and my Hell Hound cried out in pain. He was falling—that I could tell—but he spun sideways fast enough to throw me off his back.

I reached the ledge and almost fell off into a twenty foot drop. I realized that the tunnel ended here and if I made this jump I would be in the ocean.

I could jump and be safe.

I looked back behind me and saw My Hell Hound fighting two evil ones.

They weren't after him though. They kept trying to get past my Hound.

Only he wouldn't let them. He was waiting for me to jump over the ledge.

If I jumped, though, what would they do to him?

I was suddenly hit with the perfect name for the Hound.

"_Fas_ run!" I shouted.

I remember reading somewhere that Fas meant beauty in Latin and the word had always made me feel safe.

It was a strange affect but that's just how I felt.

Fas snapped at one of the Hounds and snarled loudly. The second Hound knocked Fas over and lifted its claws to attack.

I didn't really think about what I was doing before I actually did it.

I pulled myself onto my knees and hurled Under Tow through the air.

A yelp of agony filled the tunnel as Under Tow sank into the chest of one of the other Hell Hounds.

It burst into ash and the second Hound was suddenly flying through the air—coming right at me. I was slammed into a rock and I saw stars.

I cried out in pain and felt warm liquid drip from my head.

There was a faint sound of running and a few growls and barks and then I felt I was being nudged but I couldn't move or say anything.

I felt teeth on my collar and wondered if I was about to die. I couldn't seem to force myself to move.

I was now being pulled somewhere. I pried my eyes open for a moment and saw Fas standing over me.

He was pulling me to the edge. Fas barked loudly and then pushed my off the edge.

Wind flew around me and I smacked the water with hella force. I cried out underwater and then everything around me started to fade into blackness.

I woke up to someone shaking me lightly.

"Demi-god?" A girl's voice asked. "Are you okay?"

I groaned and lifted my hands to my temples without opening my eyes. "Who are you?"

"My name is Omorfia." She said.

"How long was I out?" I asked, still with my eyes closed.

"Only an hour, demi-god. Once I get you better I'm going to take you to your father."

I blinked and sat up. The girl in front of me had long red hair, sparkling blue eyes, and looked strangely like Ariel from _The Little Mermaid_—fish tail and all.

I stared up at her and then sat up. "I would rather not see my father."

I started to stand but Omorfia stopped me. "You are not in great health. I have done all I can but your father has to be the one to heal you completely."

I glanced at her. "I don't need his help."

"Well, I disagree." Came a voice from behind me.

Omorfia dropped to her knees and bowed in front of him. "Poseidon, god of sea, welcome to my home."

I realized for the first time that I was in a cave decorated with colorful corals and underwater plants. It was truly gorgeous.

"Thank you, Omorfia, for saving my daughter's life." Poseidon said. "You may rise, this is your home."

Omorfia was practically shaking with excitement of having the god of the sea in her home and I'm sure my mother had once felt the same way.

Poseidon turned to me. "Alec, your wounds are of our first importance. Please put on a shirt so that we can return you to the palace."

I looked down at myself and realized that I was in fact shirtless. I was sitting here—in front of _my dad_—with only my bra and jeans on. I noticed the wraps around my stomach and remembered my fights with the Hell Hounds.

"I'll be fine, father." I said in a hollow voice. "Omorfia took real good care of me."

Omorfia smiled and I pulled on a button-up shirt—wincing in pain.

"You are needed at the palace regardless." Said a boy that I hadn't realized was there. He had two fish tails instead of one, green skin, and black hair that was pulled back in a pony-tail. He looked young but I guess he thought he was someone important because he was looking at me as if he were superior in some way.

"And you would be . . .?" I let my voice trail off into a question.

"I am Triton, Poseidon's son and heir." The green guy said.

I raised an eyebrow to my father. "You sure do get around, don't you?"

Poseidon cleared his throat. "Triton is my _other_ child. You will meet Tyson once we get back to the palace."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll have to do that another time." I glared at Triton. "I think I have met enough relatives for today."

Poseidon was angry now. "You will not defy my authority, Alec."

"I'm not defying anything!" I snapped. "I'm just saying that I would rather not be in your palace while your I-think-I'm-so-great son and your wife send me evil looks."

"I have been around for much longer than you, Alec!" Triton snapped. "I have more rights than a puny demi-god like you!"

I batted my eyes at him sweetly. "Did I strike a nerve?" Triton was fuming in rage but stayed quiet. "You may be green and scaly but that does not make you better than me, kid."

"That is enough!" Poseidon snapped. His voice shook the cave and Triton looked nervous—I didn't.

Omorfia cleared her throat. "My lord, do you think you could take this outside of my cave? I rather enjoy my home the way it is."

Poseidon smiled apologetically. "Thank you for your help, Omorfia, we are very grateful."

Poseidon swept his arm across the room and we were suddenly outside—like right outside Omorfia's cave. I made a sound of disgust. "You couldn't walk five steps to get out here?"

"Now is not the time for that, Alec." Poseidon said. "You disrespected me in the presence of others."

"Is that something I'm only supposed to do in private?" I asked sarcastically.

Poseidon was beginning to turn red with anger. "I told you before that you had a great destiny; I meant it. You are very cocky and arrogant and that will elude you from what is important."

I glared at him. "I'm going to guess that you can't just _tell_ me what the hell my oh-so-great destiny is."

Poseidon looked sad. "No, I cannot. I wish I could, so that maybe you would understand."

I was starting to become dizzy now, but I tried not to let it show. "I would like to go now, father."

"I would let you, if it weren't for the fact that we have much to talk about." Poseidon said. "I am sorry to hold you here when you do not wish to be."

I winced in pain as I took a deep breath. I placed my hand on my stomach and then glanced at it. I saw a red liquid and my vision started to blur. "Bull Shit!" I said without meaning to.

"I'm sorry?" Poseidon asked and I could hear the anger in his voice.

My breath was coming faster and I felt like I wasn't getting enough. "I wasn't . . . talking to you." I said in between breaths.

"Alec, is something wrong?"

I glanced back to my hand and saw more blood. How could Poseidon not see this? "Yes." After that everything was black.

**Okay, so this chapter was reeeeeaaaalllyyy long. It might suck but I don't really know. I got a root canal done yesterday and now I'm all loopy on pain killers, but I was in a writing mood so this is what I got.**

**If it is absolutely horrible . . . R&R and tell me that I should never never never write while on pain killers. If you like it then I will try to write more before my prescription runs out lol **

**Antywhos . . . R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	16. you have a choice to make, Jackson

**Okay, so this is a crazy chapter a lot of shit goes down and Percy is left with a choice.**

Alec's POV

I woke up but I felt like I was really in that between-sleep-and-awake mode. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times. Everything was blurry but I could make out the image of my father and a man with black hair were talking quietly in the corner.

I wasn't underwater anymore. In fact I didn't recognize this place at all. I looked out the window but all I could see was the tops of buildings—some of which were still under construction—but nothing that gave me a big clue as to where I was.

I glanced at myself and saw red liquid. I blinked a few times and realized I was covered in blood. I looked up at my father and the man. Why didn't they do something?

Poseidon seemed to notice I was awake and came to stand by my side. "Alec, are you okay?" He seemed as if he were scared of how I would react.

I looked down at my blood-soaked body. I was trying to remain calm—but I was fucking freaking out! I mean, I'm fucking bleeding probably more than anyone can bleed and stay—NO!

I took a deep breath. If Poseidon was fucking blind I would spell the situation out to him. "I'm bleeding."

Poseidon looked at my body. "I don't see any blood, Alec."

I snapped. "What the fuck do you mean you don't see any? I'm bleeding! This shirt is _soaked_!"

Poseidon reached out to me. "Alec, it's in your head! Calm down!"

I smacked his hand away from me and rolled out of the bed. My shirt was covered in blood—mostly at my stomach. "Are you blind? Look at me!" I shouted at him.

A teenager came in the room and gasped. Did he see the blood? "Poseidon, look at her eyes."

I stared at the two of them. "Look at my eyes? _My eyes_! What the hell is wrong with you?"

The teenager stepped closer to me. "Alec, I am Apollo, God of the sun and of prophecies, I also have the ability to heal."

I suddenly relaxed when he spoke. "So you can help me?"

Apollo nodded. "I believe you have somehow . . . been given the gift of prophecy. Your eyes are the glowing green of the Oracle."

I stared at him. "What does that have to do with the fact that I'm covered in blood?"

Apollo came close to me and placed his hands on my face. "You are not covered in blood, Alec." I started to look down at myself so that I could argue, but Apollo's hands wouldn't let me. "Think about it, are you in any pain?"

That question made me pause. I wasn't. "No, but I saw—"

"Close your eyes, Alec." Apollo instructed. "Tell me whatever you see."

"If I close my eyes, I'll see black, smartone." I snapped.

"Just do it, Alec." Apollo said softly.

I huffed and slowly closed my eyes. The second they shut a force slammed into my gut and I doubled over, crying out in pain.

Percy's POV

I shoved Luke forward. "Come on, leech, I know you vamps can walk faster than this."

Luke snarled something under his breath and I laughed.

"How much farther?" Nico asked.

"The GreatOne's chamber is just around this corner." Luke said in a dark voice. "You should turn back now if you value your lives."

I scoffed. "I've heard that before and here I am."

Luke just smiled and—even though it made me uneasy—I continued forward. We turned the corner and reached a set of giant doors.

I shoved Luke a head of us. "Go on, tick, open the doors."

"I am not allowed to do that without the GreatOne's consent." Luke said not moving closer to the doors.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll say it was my fault."

"I will not open the doors, Perseus." Luke snapped.

I froze. No one—_no fucking one_—calls me by that name. It wasn't that I hated the name, I just didn't like when people used it. Something about the way Luke said it sent a ripple of anger through me.

Without thinking, I shoved Luke to the ground and began hitting him. "Don't ever . . . call me . . . Perseus!" I ground out between punches. The others tried to pull me off of him but I wasn't going to give up quickly.

The doors to the GreatOne's chamber flew open and we all froze. I could feel a dark presence coming from the room. The room was pitch black and the only visible things were two red, glowing eyes.

I could identify this thing as the monster that had threatened Alec.

When it spoke, it sent shivers through me. _"Percy Jackson, you wish to see me?"_

I sat up and threw on the "Bad-ass" look that Alec had taught me to always wear when I was facing someone I had no hope in beating. "Yup." I made sure to pop the "p".

"_You may enter my chamber, Jackson. We have much to discuss."_

I hesitated. "What about my friends? I wouldn't want them to be waiting out here with your . . . messenger too long." That statement got me an angry glance from Luke that I was very pleased with.

"_They can wait. This business is of the private type."_

I sighed. "Alright, guys, if I'm not out in twenty minutes come in after me. Oh, and while you're at it, you can kill the tick if you like."

Nico twisted Luke's arm back farther than it was meant to go. "Not going to be a problem."

Rachel's POV

Everyone was running around Olympus in confusion. Artemis was hurt, there was an important demi-god that was hurt and always shouting curse words—I could hear them from outside Annabeth's private infirmary—and, of course, Annabeth was hurt.

No one would tell me anything and I was starting to get pissed. Athena came outside for a moment and started to walk away, but I grabbed her arm. "Goddess, please, what is going on?"

Athena pulled her arm away from my grasp. "I don't have time to answer your questions, Oracle."

"Athena, please, she's my best friend's girlfriend and I need to know what is going on so that I can send him an Iris message telling him everything. That is his child that is at risk and, please, I need to know."

Athena sighed. "Oracle, over the years when male demi-gods wanted to reproduce with a female human, nothing went wrong. If a female demi-god wanted to reproduce with a human _or_ demi-god male, there were . . . complications."

"What do you mean?"

"You see, female demi-gods never come to full term." Athena had a sad look in her eyes. "They do not even make it past the first trimester."

I felt like the breath had been knocked out of me. "You mean Annabeth is going to lose her baby?"

Athena placed her hand on my shoulder. "Rachel, the females _themselves_ do not make it past the first term. They . . . well, they die, Rachel."

I stared at her. Now it was like I had been run over by a football team and my remains were thrown in a blender and set on "chop".

Everything was becoming blurring and I felt sick. I swayed lightly and then everything turned black as the ground came rushing up to meet me.

Alec's POV

I kept seeing that image over and over inside my head. It was dark and strange and very fucking scary.

I rocked back and forth on the tile and refused to so much as blink my eyes. If I closed them, what would I see?

"Alec, what did you see?" Apollo asked gently.

I shook my head. "Nothing, it was nothing."

I didn't ever want to think of this again. I didn't want the gift of prophecy. How did I even get it anyways?

"Alec, just tell me something—anything—about what you saw." Apollo pleaded.

I glanced up at him. "I saw all the gods—the major ones, ya know."

Apollo nodded as if he were proud. "What else was there?"

I decided I would just focus on this; the last part was a different story. "They started to, like, blend together or something."

Apollo thought for a moment but then continued questioning me before I slipped back into my own thoughts. "What happened next, Alec?"

"Well, there was this, like, bright light and then I was just standing alone."

Apollo nodded obviously thinking about everything I was saying. "What else?"

I swallowed. "Um, Percy and the others showed up, like, out of nowhere. We were on Olympus . . . I mean, I think it was Olympus, because it was . . ." I stared of for a moment remembering the beauty of the place I had seen and then I snapped back to where I was before Apollo could say anything. "It was amazing."

"What happened while you were on Olympus, Alec?" Apollo was really interested now. His eyes told me that there was more importance about me being there than I knew about.

I thought back to what I had seen. "Well, everything got really quiet and dark too. It was as dark as the tunnels. We got near—what my guess is—the throne room and . . ." I swallowed and tried to tell him what happen next.

My mouth formed the words but I couldn't voice them.

Apollo leaned close to me. "Alec, just tell us what happened in the throne room. Who was there?"

I looked into his eyes. I could see Poseidon pacing behind him. The other man with black hair was waiting quietly for me to speak as well—although he did seem happy to be waiting.

"There was this dark, creepy, scary, _evil_ thing waiting for us. He—_it_—had this sword." I knew my voice was shaking with fear, but I forced myself to speak. "The sword was big and gold and glowing and . . . awesome." I began to giggle uncontrollably at my own words.

Apollo grabbed my arms and shook me. "Alec, what happened?"

I snapped back to the last image I saw. It scared me more than anything else I had seen. "I saw me. I was lying on the ground. Dead."

Percy's POV

I came into the room and the doors closed behind me. I felt trapped for some reason.

"You know why I'm here, don't you?"

"_You wish to have your sister, Alec, the child of the verse, to be taken back to her normal form."_

I could feel the creature circling me. "What do you mean 'the child of the verse'?"

I felt the creature stop a few feet in front of me. It was killing me that I couldn't see it. _"The gods heard a prophecy from your Oracle—she doesn't remember it, of course—that claims a child claimed by Poseidon will save Olympus at its falling moment. This child will become evil though, after it saves the seat of the gods' power anyways."_

I shook my head. "Alec isn't evil. She's the defender of the people. Now are you going to turn her back or not?"

The creature almost laughed. _"In the end it is you decision, Percy. If that is truly what you want, I will do it, but if you chose this . . . well, that could be the death of Annabeth."_

I froze. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"_Did I catch your attention?"_

"Yeah, you did, now talk." I snapped. I took a step forward out of instinct and I felt the creature step away from me.

"_You see, Jackson, it is not possible for a female demi-god to carry a child. Think back through all your learning. Can you name a demi-god female that has given birth to a child?"_

I thought back as hard as I could. When I got the answer to his question I felt sick. "No." I took a deep breath and tried to throw on the "Bad-ass" look but I don't think it was as good as the one before. "What does any of that have to do with you turning Alec normal?"

"_Well, Jackson, the way I see it, you have a choice to make."_ A blue cloud—almost like smoke—appeared and it had Alec's image was inside it.

She was sitting on the floor wrapped in bandages and she looked scared out of her mind. Apollo was holding her face trying to get her to talk about something.

The thought of Alec scared made me feel helpless. Alec was never scared of anything. I needed to help her. It was like something of grave importance that I kept Alec from being afraid.

"_I can return your sister to the state she was in before Ashley bit her without difficulty."_

A second cloud appeared—one almost exactly like the first one—but it held an image of Annabeth.

Annabeth was lying in a bed looking pale and sick. Athena was sitting next to her feeding her ambrosia. She looked inches from death.

The image made me sick to my stomach. I did this to her. If I hadn't wanted so badly to sleep with Annabeth, she would be fine. She would be standing outside that door, waiting for me to come out.

"_This is Annabeth—the love of your life, the one carrying your child—slowly dying. If you wish I can save her. However, I can only save one."_ The creature's red eyes bored into mine. _"As I said before, Jackson, you have a choice to make: Your sister or Annabeth."_

**Yes, I know, I'm very fucked up. And to add to my fucked-up-ness I will not even begin writing the next chapter until my readers review with their votes.**

**Do you think Percy should save Alec, or Annabeth, or . . . say fuck you and run? But then what will happen if he says that? Who will pay the price? Why do you think Alec saw the gods blending together and then she was standing alone?**

**So many questions and so little answers . . . yet. So R&R!!!!!**


	17. my frying insides

**Okay, so I got a lot of reviews very fast and I was actually surprised by your thoughts. It seems though that you all had to same ideas and I'mma try to go with them, but I'll try to stick with my thoughts as well . . . and you all know how twisted my thoughts are lol ****!**

**R&R!**

Alec's POV

After I calmed down and got a grip on reality, I was able to access the situation clearly. I somehow obtained the gift of prophecy.

I had had a vision. I thought about the meaning of the vision piece by piece.

When I saw all the major gods together that had to be back before the war in New York because after that Percy had asked the gods to have thrones for the minor gods as well.

When I saw them blending together . . . that is what stumped me. Could it mean they _actually_ blended? Not likely. Could it mean they were working together for something? I'll go with that.

I thought about how, after the gods blended, I was standing alone. Was I what the gods had been working together to create? I tossed that idea aside. If the gods had known that they all worked to create me, they wouldn't seem so shocked by the fact that I had the gift of prophecy now.

I couldn't think of another explanation though.

Poseidon was still pacing the room and the man with the black hair had now joined him. Apollo had to leave because there was another injured demi-god here that was in need of his aid.

"Do you know what any of this means?" I asked my father. It was the first time I had spoken to him without him speaking first.

Poseidon shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Alec. I do not understand how you can have the powers of other gods when I know for certain you are my child."

"Maybe you are not as certain as you think, brother." The man with black hair said. "You have said that she is the child of the verse many times."

"Zeus, you know that I was only under the assumption. You were the one to point out that I had no proof." Poseidon said.

I froze and stared at the man. Zeus? I wondered why he wasn't striking me down right now. Is it possible that he did not know? I internally cursed myself for even _thinking_ my luck could be that good.

I held up my hand. "What do you mean 'child of the verse'? What verse are we talking about here?"

Poseidon and Zeus exchanged looks. "We cannot tell you that until the time is right, Alec." Poseidon told me regretfully.

I groaned loudly. "Can I go back then?"

This caused both gods to look shocked. "You want to go back to the tunnels?" Zeus asked.

I nodded. "Twenty bucks says Percy is down there looking for me. If there is no hope for me to be turned back and I'm going to die anyways . . . well, I want to spend time with my brother."

Zeus suddenly had a cold look on his face. "Are there any other people you plan on spending time with? People like my daughter perhaps?"

_Don't say anything stupid. Don't say anything stupid._

"Well, I can't really _not_ spend time with her, but my priority now is my brother." I mentally patted myself on the back.

Zeus eyed me for a moment and it wasn't until he let it drop that I realized that I was telling the truth. I hadn't planned on spending any time with Thalia at all when I had asked to be sent back.

"I am sorry to tell you this, Alec, but we cannot see anything in the tunnels so—even if we can send you back—we won't be able to tell where you go exactly." Poseidon told me.

"You can't see what goes on in the tunnels?" I asked in shock. "So you don't have any idea what's going on? Like, at all?"

Zeus was annoyed now. "We can tell that there is something different about you. Something . . . inhuman. Almost as if you are slowly losing your humanity. Would you like to enlighten us as to how that happened?"

I had been sinking lower and lower as he spoke. I couldn't figure out what to say so I just pulled up my sleeve and showed them the bite mark I received from Ashley.

Poseidon's eye went wide and he stared at my arm. "Where did you get that?"

"Um . . . one of the hunters that went missing—or whatever—was down in the tunnel. We got into a little fight and she bit me." I explained.

"Have there been any changes since you have gotten bit?" Zeus asked. "I mean, apart from the failing humanity?"

My stomach dropped quickly but I spoke as if it was no big deal. "Well, I've been craving blood for some weird reason. Do you think Apollo can make this thing go away?"

The two gods were staring at me. It was clear that they didn't fall for my subtle change in topic.

Poseidon was the first to speak. "I do not believe this can be healed with Apollo's magic." He paused for a second. "Have you done anything to quench these cravings?"

I shook my head. "I didn't even know I was craving it 'til Nico and I were in the tunnels and I—."

"What did you do?" Zeus's eyes were burning with interest.

I made a movement that I wasn't sure had a name but was the universal symbol for "I know but this is awkward and I don't want to tell you but I'm going to anyways".

"I kinda . . . licked his blood off his fingers." I said the last part of the sentence in a small quiet voice. I wasn't scared of them but I just didn't like the way the sentence sounded—like I was an animal or something.

"You . . ." Poseidon started but he paused for a moment. "You've tasted the blood of . . . Hades's kid?"

I looked up in shock as I realized what he was trying not to do. "Are you _laughing_?"

Poseidon's mouth was pressed in a tight line but his eyes shown. He shook his head and then his control broke. He was seriously laughing at something that was so not funny.

"Brother, this is not a laughing matter." Zeus said. "You know how Hades is going to react to this."

Poseidon laughed harder. "I know! Picture the look on his face, Zeus!"

Zeus started to say something but then he paused to choke back his laughter. "This is still not a laughing matter, Poseidon."

I stood and huffed loudly. "Can you send me back already?"

Poseidon waved a hand uncaringly and my stomach did flip flops and I was surrounded by a light.

Percy's POV

"I . . . I have to choose?" I asked.

I can't choose! That's my sister and the woman carrying my child! How could I _ever_ choose?

"_Make a choice before the offer expires, Jackson."_ The creature seemed a little anxious to make me pick soon.

I heard a small commotion going on outside the doors and I wondered if the others would be coming in soon. I really hoped they did.

"_Jackson, time is wasting." _The monster was really agitated now.

"Hang on, I'm thinking." I snapped. It was really just to spare some time.

After I spoke, the last thing that I would have ever thought could happen at this moment happened: Alec stormed inside the room and gave the beast a cool smile. "What's up?"

I smiled at her uncontrollably, but then I realized that she might have just caused the offer to expire. What would happen if she did? Would they both die?

The clouds of blue were still there and Alec caught sight of them and her smiled faded as she tried to figure out what had been going on.

"_It is a shame you didn't choose when you had—"_

"He chooses Annabeth." Alec said suddenly. I stared at her and realized that she no longer had a calm and cool look. She was panicky and she spoke fast. "I don't know what is going on, but he chooses Annabeth. Not me."

The beast seemed to consider this. _"Percy must make the choice not you, Alec. He can return you to your former self or he can prevent Annabeth's death. This offer will last for no more than five seconds. Your time starts now, Jackson."_

"If you pick me, I'll kill you." Alec said quickly.

"Annabeth." The word flew out of my mouth before I really even processed the thought.

The creature laughed. _"It's done. Alec, the child of the verse now belongs to me and Annabeth will be cured in a few short minutes."_

The clouds disappeared and I turned to where I was guessing Alec was standing. "Alec, I'm so sorry."

"I'm gonna die anyways, Percy." Alec said as if it was no big deal. "This is just going to be a minor setback in that plan."

This made the creature laugh again. _"You thought you were actually going to die? Go with your friends, Alec, now is not your time to join us."_

"How will I know?" Alec asked as if she could care less. "Do you evil monsters send out e-mails to the new recruits?"

"_Just leave, Andrew, be with friends."_

Alec froze. "How do you know that name?"

I could tell by her voice she was about to start swinging. The doors opened and we saw Luke and Thalia's mother turn to dust quickly. Well, I did.

Alec was still yelling. "How do you know that name?"

I grabbed her waist and drug her out of the room.

"What does that name have to do with you?" I asked.

"It's my last name, Percy. Not even you knew so how the fuck did that thing know?" Alec snapped.

"Alec Andrew? It does kind of fit." I shook my head and focused. "Where have you been?"

"Olympus. I got a little hurt while I was—"

There was a loud bark and we heard running. Not just any running but the running of a Hell Hound.

The barks were getting louder and quicker. We all pulled out our weapons . . . except for Alec.

When the Hound came around the corner, Alec smiled. "Fas!"

Alec's POV

I ran forward and Fas met me half way. I patted his head and smiled like a dork. "I have so much to thank you for, boy."

Fas yelped a laugh and I knew that meant he was happy to help. It was strange how—even though I couldn't hear him—I understood everything completely.

"Alec . . . what are you doing?" Nox asked.

I turned to them and smiled. I was freaking out about dying. I was pissed that the monster we had been chasing for over a month would get to have my soul. I could see myself covered in blood and flip out at anytime. I had to do something to keep my mind occupied so that not a soul knew what I was really thinking. "Nothing."

"Sorry, let me rephrase that," Nico said. "What the hell are you doing with that Hell Hound?"

"Oh, sorry, this is Fas." I smiled. "Fas, these are my friends. Say hi." Fas barked happily and everyone just stared at me. I turned to Fas and rolled my eyes. "They don't mean anything by this; I think they are just a little shocked."

"How did you . . . well, where did you get him?" Thalia asked.

"And how the fuck did he get so tame?" Max added.

I shrugged. "We just helped each other out, that's all. He is the one that threw me in the water when I was hurt so that Poseidon could find me."

"You got hurt?" Thalia asked sounding really worried.

She ran up to me and started to check for wounds. Why did I not feel anything warm and fuzzy in my stomach the way I usually do when she touched me? I couldn't put my finger on it, but something had changed.

Was it the fact that I was going to die that made me feel so distant? I didn't see how that was possible; my heart was still going crazy by the fact that Fas was here.

I pulled away from Thalia's searching and faced everyone. "I'm sorry I left without telling anyone. It was wrong and I swear to never do anything like that again. I also know that I have no right to ask, but could we go break into a hotel or something and get some sleep?"

I found out when I was little that if you were polite you always got what you wanted.

When everyone agreed instantly, I hardly found it as a shock . . . but I still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about my behavior.

Percy didn't have to use the mist to get Fas past the guard in the hotel. I just broke into a room and we snuck him up the stairs.

Percy had given me crap for the first time ever about sharing a room with Thalia but he dropped it after Nico looked at him strangely. If Percy had finally caught on to me and Thalia, I wasn't going to push our confrontation to come any sooner than he wanted it to.

Right after I got into our rooms, Annabeth and Rachel showed up and we were all glad to see Annabeth was much, much better. "Thank the Gods!" I shouted as I pulled her in for a hug.

Annabeth came clean to everyone about her pregnancy and they all were happy for her. She smiled and filled us in on what she had learned at Olympus.

"Well, they said the baby will develop faster than a normal child. Instead of taking nine to ten months, it will be four and a half to five." Annabeth explained. "I'm about two and a half months along by their terms. My mother has notified my father but she is leaving Percy's mother for him. Poseidon found out shortly after Alec left and he was rubbing it in my mother's face just before we left."

Thalia jumped up and down with excitement. "What do you want? A boy or girl? Oh, do you know what you're having?"

Annabeth bit her lip. "I don't know the sexes but . . ."

Did you catch that mix up as fast as I did? "Sexes?" I asked as soon as I caught the word. "That is plural."

Annabeth nodded. "Twins."

Percy's mouth dropped and he stared at Annabeth. "T . . . Two . . . we're having two babies?"

Annabeth didn't move but she watched him. We all did. When he didn't say anything and had been staring off into space for a full minute Annabeth finally spoke to him. "Percy, what do you think?"

"I'm thinking about getting an apartment instead of a dorm."

Thalia's POV

After the hour of baby-talk, we all decided to hit the sack. Alec was sitting at the desk and she looked like she had something on her mind.

I walked over and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "If you ever scare me like that again, I'll kill you."

Alec smiled tightly. "I've heard that before."

I laughed and then my smile faded as I realized that there was something going on. "What's wrong?"

Alec stood up as she let out a long breath. She stared into my eyes and I felt my stomach drop. Alec's face was blank but calculating. She took a deep breath. "I can't do this anymore."

I stared at her, hoping she didn't mean what I thought she did. "What?"

Alec leaned back on the desk. "When I was hurt on Olympus, I over-heard your dad and my dad talking. They know. This isn't going to be fun anymore."

"Fun?" I asked after my shock wore off.

Alec shrugged. "Well, yeah. Sneaking around is what made it worth anything."

I stared at her. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Oh, don't get all up set!" Alec said laughing. "You were in this for the same reason I was."

"And just what reason would that be?"

Alec made the universal face for "you have got to know this" and huffed out a short breath. "Do I have to spell it out for you, Thalia? I swear anything with you is like interacting with a tree."

Now I was pissed.

Nico's POV

There was a loud knocking on the door and I looked up from my dinner surprised. Rachel shrugged. "You answer it."

I laughed. "Lazy ass, do I have to do everything?"

I got up and went to the door. Alec stood outside with a cocky smile on her face. "Hey, you and Rachel don't have any plans on fooling around tonight, do you?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want, Alec?"

Now Alec's smile turned sheepish. "Do you think I could . . . crash here for tonight?"

I blinked rapidly. "Why? Don't you have plans to fool around with Thalia or something?"

Alec shrugged. "I probably would, but I don't think she would go for that judging as we just broke up."

"What?" Rachel shouted from the kitchen. "Why?"

Alec seemed shocked that Rachel even knew about them. Then she forgot about it as she remembered that Rachel was the Oracle. "Well, that is a long story."

"Is Thalia okay? What did she say?"

"Well, at first . . . um, I'll just skip to the end when she yelled at me to get the fuck away from her and if I ever tried to touch her again she would shock me so bad the last thing I ever smelled was my frying insides."

"Wow. She's very vivid." I commented.

Rachel hit me in the shoulder. "Alec, you can crash in my room and I'll go see how Thalia is doing."

Alec nodded and Rachel ran off.

I sighed. "You want to tell me what brought that on?"

Alec shrugged. "I'm going to die anyways or I'm going to become some 'creature of darkness' and harvest souls so why not?"

I stared at her. "Wait, what?"

"Don't you keep up with anything?" Alec huffed.

I glared at her. "Start from the beginning."

"Well, my mother decided she was going to bone my fath—"

"Alec." I said seriously.

Alec rolled her eyes. "I don't feel like talking now."

I frowned. "You have to spill everything in the morning."

"Fine, but just to let you know you sounded like a total chick just now."

I rolled my eyes. "No way!" The two of us laughed.

Before Alec went to her room she hugged me with one arm. "You are a good friend. I wouldn't trade you for the world."

I smiled at her. "Thanks, Alec. I wouldn't trade you either."

**Okay, so I finally got to the part that I started like three chaps ago. Lol I'm not really sure where to go from here. If anyone has any ideas send me a P.M. or R&R!**

**Oh, and does anyone know how to make a song fic cuz I'm at a lost and feel really blonde right now.**


	18. Background confessions

Alec's POV

I shot out of bed, cold sweat running down my face. I clutched my stomach to make sure I couldn't feel the warm blood oozing through my shirt.

Once that was clear I had to do one more thing: I raced to the mirror and checked my eyes. _Thank the gads!_

I let out a deep breath and tried to calm down. I went to lie down and made sure I was fully calm before I even thought about closing my eyes. Once I did it was the same thing.

That image kept popping into my mind.

I shot out of bed and couldn't help but search the darkness of the room for an intruder. I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't here alone.

I hated feeling like one of those girls in scary movies that knows something is after her and that she should hide or get a weapon but instead shouts out to whatever is out there but I still asked, "Who's there?"

No one answered—shocker there—but I still couldn't shake the feeling that was like a cold fist on my heart.

I couldn't take this anymore. I stood up and left the room.

I walked down to Nico's door feeling stupid and childish but also very scared and tired. I knocked lightly, "Are you awake?"

I didn't hear an answer but the door did open. Nico walked back to his bed sleepily and I followed not caring if he talked or not.

I crawled into his bed and lay down next to him. He asked the one question I was hoping he wouldn't. "What'd ya dream about?"

I shivered slightly remembering the scene. Nico must have realized that I was scared—which I hated him knowing but couldn't really help the fact that he did. He rolled over and put his hand on my back, trying to make me feel better.

"I saw all the gods, but they were frozen—they couldn't move. Some dark thing was there but I couldn't see it. It took a little power from each of them and used it for something . . . awful." I shivered Again.

"It was just a dream, Alec. It's nothing to worry about."

I sighed as I remembered that I hadn't told anyone about being able to see stuff. "Nico, while I was on Olympus . . . I saw something."

Nico laughed. "Most people do."

I rolled over to glare at him. "No, I mean, I saw something from the future . . . and from the past."

"What?" Now Nico just looked confused. "That isn't possible, Alec. You are the daughter of Poseidon, not Apollo."

"I know, but even Apollo said I had somehow been able to get the gift of prophecy. Rachel gets those greenish eyes when she sees shit, right? Well, I had that to and I saw myself covered in blood but Poseidon said there was nothing there."

Nico was quiet while he processed this. "So you saw yourself covered in blood? What? Does that mean you're going to die?"

"Okay, I was freaking out 'cuz I thought I was bleeding to death, but then Apollo told me to close my eyes. When I did, I saw a lot of shit that was confusing and then I saw myself dead."

Nico's face seemed to lose some color. "Tell me everything you saw."

So I told him. I told him about the gods and the blending and me standing alone. I told him about the darkness that was over Olympus and the sword. "After that I just saw myself dead."

Nico was thinking hard. "I don't understand any of that. Well, apart from you dying, that one's pretty clear. Was your dream any different?"

I nodded. "I already told you that the gods were frozen and there was the dark thing right?" He nodded. "Well, after he made whatever it is—I couldn't see that either—I was just standing there. You guys showed up the way you did in the first vision and then we ran through Olympus. It was dark and everything but there were monsters and the buildings were being destroyed again.

"I saw that thing from the tunnels in the throne room and Percy was trying to be brave and challenged it. The thing was kicking Percy's ass to. Then I was back on the part where I was dead, but this time it was different."

"What happened?" Nico was fully attentive and more serious than I had ever seen him.

I choked slightly. "Well, I was breathing, but I was dead. My eyes were closed and I was all pale but I was still breathing somehow. Then I opened my eyes and . . . and they . . ." I couldn't get the words out.

Nico understood. That was one of the great things about him. He may be stupid and immature and a total _guy_ some times, but he _always_ understood. Of course you would have to get to know him to know that understanding was a tremendous part of Nico's personality.

"Well, do you want to go to sleep?" He caught the look on my face and tossed the idea. "You can tell me why you suddenly decided to dump Thalia."

I leaned back on the pillow. "I'm going to die. I'm going to turn into one of those things. Why would I want her to hurt when I do?"

"If that's why, why is she so pissed?" Nico suddenly got it. "You mean you didn't tell her?"

"And have her worrying about everything I do? I don't think so. This way she already hates me, she's not going to worry, and, plus, I get the luxury of being single."

Nico laughed. "You know most girls would be trying to mark off a bucket list if they knew they were going to die. How is it that you are fine just going day to day like its normal?"

I thought about that. "I've done everything that is super important to me. I've met my father. I have siblings—whether I like them or not is another story—and I learned how to fight at a young age. I have people that I care for and that care for me. What else do I need to do to die happily?"

Nico looked at me in shock. "Get laid perhaps?" I started cracking up laughing at his expression. "Don't laugh! If I were going to die, I'd be boning every girl out there."

I was still laughing. "What if you got something?"

Nico shrugged. "I'm already dying."

I was laughing so hard tears were running down my face. "You can be such a guy some times."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "So can you! If I remember right, you told me to stop cock-blocking. You are obviously the butch. Plus, you can make a girl cheat on a guy."

I smiled. "I am pretty tom-boy, huh?"

"You're the definition." Nico said surely. After a moment of silence Nico laughed. "So why don't you go get laid?"

I laughed. "Did you not notice I'm currently without a girlfriend?"

"I meant by a guy."

"I'm not going to go fuck some random guy just because I'm dying."

Nico shrugged. "Fine, die a virgin."

I froze. I hadn't even thought about that. Nico was looking at me in a cocky way that told me he knew he had gotten to me. Of course, now I had to get even by humiliating him.

I put of a very serious face. "Nico . . . will you have sex with me?"

Nico froze and his eyes went wide. "Um . . . what do you . . . um, err."

I started laughing. "Oh my gods, your face!"

Nico realized what I did and glared at me. It didn't last long though; he soon was smiling and laughing to. "Okay, okay, that was a good one."

"So what would you have said if I was serious?" I asked just out of my own curiosity.

Nico thought for a while. "Well, you are dying so . . . I'd probably say yes. Guys love it when they're not expected to call afterward."

My mouth dropped and Nico started laughing. "That is fucked up!" I said, but I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

After we stopped laughing Nico said, "The sad thing is that that's true. Guys really do love when they're not expected to call."

I smiled. "For a long time I used to think of girls kind of the same way. I figured either they don't sleep with you . . . and then there's really no reason to ever call them again. Or they _do_ sleep with you . . . and then there's really no reason to ever call them again."

Nico and I started cracking up again. "How do girls sleep with girls anyways?"

I held up my hand and moved my fingers. "How do you think?"

Nico rolled his eyes. "You're finger isn't shit though. I mean, if someone's had a finger stuck up their ass they wouldn't say they've had anal sex."

I laughed. "Nico, do you have a vagina?"

"No."

"Well, then you don't seem to understand that there is a difference. Plus, I never said I've had sex."

"You said 'sleep with' which implies that you had sex."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, girls with experience can get girls off faster than a guy can and that is all there is to it."

"So if it is so awesome to be with an experienced girl, why were you with Thalia? I bet that girl didn't even know how to kiss." Nico laughed.

I thought about that. I had never gone after a girl with no background before Thalia so why did I start now? "Nico, why do you not like Thalia so much?"

Nico got quiet. "She joined the Hunters. After everything . . . she joined."

I could hear the anger in his voice but there was something behind it to. "What's your beef with them?"

Nico pursed his lips. I realized that I had struck a nerve and I wanted to apologize but I also wanted Nico to get this off his chest. I knew that there was something Nico had been hiding. I had always known and that is what made him distant from everyone.

I could see in his eyes that he needed to talk about this, but I could also see that he didn't want to.

"My . . . sister was a Hunter." He finally said.

Understanding washed through me and I was suddenly super sorry for even asking about this. "Shit, Nico, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have asked, if I knew—"

"No, it's fine. I guess, it's about time I talked about it to someone, right? I was only like ten when it happened." Nico sighed. "My sister took care of me my whole life. She was my best friend and I wanted her around all the time. Maybe if I had given her some space or something she wouldn't have joined the Hunter and she would still be alive."

I now realized that Nico was fighting tears and I reached out to hug him. It was awkward because we were lying down on our sides but that didn't matter to me. "I think your sister was happy you were with her all the time. She would be proud of who you are now."

Nico was silent. "Her spirit went missing from the Underworld a while back."

I shot away from him so I could see his face. "What?"

"I could always feel my sister's spirit the moment I would walk into the Underworld but now I can't find Bianca anywhere." Nico was quiet now. I could feel him seething with anger but also he was hurt.

Someone took his sister's soul? Now I was pissed. No one made Nico hurt. Suddenly I realized something. "Is that why you wanted to get even with the monster? You knew he did it, didn't you?"

Nico nodded. "I could feel a part of her with him. When we were in the tunnels . . . I could feel her there. He took her, Alec, and I'm going to get her back. After that, I'm going to get the part of you that he has."

I smiled. "I can't be saved, Nico. It doesn't work that way. I'm doomed to become what I will."

Nico was suddenly very fierce. "He can't control you. Think about it, Thalia's mother had grey eyes—not red—and she was totally in control of herself. She fed when they told her to, but hundred bucks say she didn't kill them. That is why she is in control. Luke was a hero when he died. He said that he was going to try for rebirth and then get himself a good stop in the Underworld, but he never even got there."

I stared at Nico. "You're saying that Luke has been down in those tunnels for four years?"

Nico nodded. "He was offered a chance and I'm betting that it's not even him in that body. He is being controlled, just like he was when Kronos was in his body."

"So . . . now we can't kill Luke either?" I asked.

Nico looked shocked. "Of course we can. I mean, it's the only way to kill the GreatOne—I hate calling him that."

"Yeah, but if Luke is actually good and it's that thing, we should try to save Luke without killing him."

"We can't. We tried that with the Kronos situation and it didn't work."

I groaned. "I hate this."

"Shit, you're telling me."

I sighed. "Nico, don't try and save me."

"What?" Nico asked sitting up so that he could look down at me.

"People tend to get hurt when they try to do that." After the words left my mouth, I regretted them instantly. I was reminded of many things and I did not want to be reminded of this.

Nico eyed me. "Who was is?" The problem with Nico is that he understands.

I sighed. I never ever, ever wanted to talk about this. I knew that the last thing I wanted was to talk about the past I had sworn to never tell. I couldn't figure out why—if all that was true—I wanted to tell Nico so badly.

"My brother." The words left my mouth without me ever telling them to. The story soon followed. "My mom was drunk and forgot my birth-day so my brother walked me to the store to get me a shake and cup-cake. I was turning ten. On the way home some guys jumped us. See Jaxon was in a gang and one of the gangs they were fighting with wanted to beat up Jaxon for talking to his girl.

"Jaxon was getting his ass kicked and I remember not knowing what to do. I was a tough kid and all but I had never seen Jaxon lose a fight." I realized that tears were running down my face but I couldn't stop talking. "I couldn't move. I remember realizing that Jaxon was trying to keep them from getting close to me and that is why he couldn't focus on fighting. He was stabbed and then the guys ran off. He walked me almost the whole way telling me that he was fine and that we didn't need to stop for help; we just needed to get me home."

Nico leaned over and hugged me. I smiled through my tears and then reached up to get rid of the evidence. Nico watched me with quiet eyes. "That's why you train as much as you do? And why you don't want anyone sticking up for you?"

I sighed again. "Yeah." I finished ridding my face of tears and then turned back to Nico. "Percy doesn't even know I've had another brother. Max has heard me slip his name once but she doesn't know who he is."

"I'm not going to say anything." Nico smiled.

I laughed as I realized just _how much_ Nico understood me. We really weren't that different. Losing our siblings had made us into who we are. We trained longer and harder than anyone at camp. We did everything we could to be independent so that no one could take the place of the person we lost. Plus, we were closed off from the world; almost as if we had our own little islands.

I smiled at Nico. "Why couldn't you be a girl?"

Nico's POV

I glanced at Alec. What was that supposed to mean? "What?"

Alec propped herself up on one elbow. "You get me . . . and for some insane reason, I like that you get me. I like the fact that we can just say the smallest part of a sentence and the other will understand everything. I guess . . . I like the way I am with you. Ugh, why can't you be a girl?"

I blinked. "Are you saying that if I was a girl you would want to hook up with me?"

Alec bit her lip. "I'm not sure."

"Are you sure you're bi?" I asked. "You seem more . . . fully gay."

Alec laughed. "If I was fully into girls, I wouldn't look at you the way I do." After she said it, her eyes popped wide the slightest bit but she tried to hide it.

"What way do you look at me, Alec?" I asked with a cocky edge to my voice. I wanted to know, but I didn't get super serious so that way she would be more likely to tell me.

Alec smiled slightly at me and I could see the she was a little shy. "Nico, you're hot." I jumped—that was unexpected. "And when you take off your shirt in front of me it makes me wonder why I'm with chicks all the time. Then I remember that I love our friendship and that is what keeps me from using my mad skills of seduction on you." Alec laughed at the last part but I could tell she meant it.

I stared at her. "You're telling me that because I'm your friend we can't hook up? I mean, I could call you a bad name to make us not friends if that would help."

Alec and I laughed at that. "Nico, I like you, but I love our friendship. I don't want to risk that."

I thought about that. "You're right. But, hey, maybe someday, right?"

"If I'm around then, yeah." Alec said softly.

We were quiet for a while until I finally asked the question that had been on my mind ever since she had told me. "Are you scared?"

Alec nodded. "Terrified."

"I thought you laughed in the face of death."

Alec shook her head. "Not tonight. I'll be laughing my ass off tomorrow and when the day comes, but for tonight—while I'm with you—I'm not going to pretend."

**Okay, that's all for now. I know this chapter was all about Alec and Nico but I felt the need to get people to realize the depth of their friendship. Oh, and I had been toying with the idea that Alec could have had another brother for a while now and I felt this is a good time to mention it. It showed why Nico and Alec are the way they are and why the two of them seem to work so well together.**

**Not relationship wise, but friends. Anyways R&R!**


	19. Nico can't hang!

**Okay, so this chapter is kinda short and I rewrote the ending like twenty times and I'm still not happy with it, but whatever. I got the opening for the next chapter already started and just wanted to let you know that it should be up pretty soon.**

Thalia's POV

Rachel and I had been hanging out since Nico and Alec decided that they were just such close friends. They hadn't separated once since Alec and I had broken up. It was really pissing me off.

Did she decide that I wasn't fun and wanted to move onto Nico? I was so pissed every time I looked at them; I wanted to knock their heads together.

I had made a point to go out and do fun things since me and Rachel had become friends. Percy had told us that after all we went through in one day we deserved a three to four day break.

Rachel found out there was a bar down the road and was forcing me to go out and have fun. I rolled my eyes. "Getting sauced isn't my idea of fun."

"You just need to get out, Thalia." Rachel pushed. "You'll see once we get there."

"Rachel, I really don't want to go out."

Rachel came up to me and took my face in her hands. "Do you know how many nights you have cried yourself to sleep? This is not going to be another one of those nights."

I huffed. "Fine, let's go."

Rachel eyed my jeans and t-shirt. "Not in that! You need to go change into something . . . seductive. Even if you don't plan on giving it up, it's fun to make them think you do."

Rachel shoved me into my room and I sighed.

I changed into some shorts and a low-cut top. I kept my sneakers though.

I came out of the bath room. "How's this?"

Rachel eyed me for a long time and looked like she wanted to tell me to go change again but she finally smiled. "It will work."

She pulled me out of the room and drug me down the hall. While walking to the bar, several people honked at us. One guy even stopped. "Hey, do you two babes need a ride?"

He had some cocky smile on his face and I didn't like him. Rachel smiled politely. "No, we're just going up the road."

"Where you going?" He asked with the same stupid smile on his face.

I sighed and then I knew how to get rid of them. I through my arm around Rachel and glared at them. "My girlfriend and I are going to a bar. We don't need any help getting there."

The guy's eyes seemed to brighten suddenly, but he got the idea. "Alright then, you girls have fun."

They drove off and I took my arm out from around Rachel. She laughed. "That was pretty cool."

I smiled. "They were annoying me."

"Me too." Rachel laughed. "I don't get why guys do stupid shit like that."

I shook my head. "If they had brains maybe they could tell us."

We laughed. Rachel walked a little slower as we got to the entrance of the bar. It was about ten and there was a line outside the door. Rachel walked up to the guy at the door and whispered something to him. He smiled and let us in.

I glanced at Rachel when I saw the inside of the bar. There were strobe lights and glow sticks and drunken people dancing everywhere. I hated to admit it, but it looked hella fun.

"The bar is this way, Thalia." Rachel said.

"Wait, how are you going to get alcohol?" I asked.

Rachel gave me a small smile. "There called 'boobs', Thalia."

I laughed as she led the way to the bar.

Nico's POV

"Hurry up, Dead boy, it's already ten thirty." Alec shouted from outside the bathroom door.

I rolled my eyes and pulled on a black t-shirt. "I'll be there in a minute. Why do we have to go anyways?"

"Because it is going to be fun." Alec said and I could hear the smile in her voice. "Get out here and tell me what you think about this outfit."

"Getting wasted is suddenly super fun?" I asked. Alec just didn't seem like the party type.

"If it wasn't fun before, you were doing it wrong." Alec laughed.

I laughed and left the bathroom. Alec wasn't in the TV room so I walked to her room.

I tapped the door twice before just walking in. Alec was at the mirror doing her eyeliner.

I paused to look at her. She had a rocker look going. She had black and purple high-top converse, fish-net leggings, black shorts, and a purple shirt with a black tie printed on it. Her hair was messy, but still in place and her eyeliner was dark enough for you to _really_ notice but not so dark that she looked a raccoon.

"What's next? You play the guitar too?" I asked.

Alec rolled her eyes. "Does it look good?"

"It's enough to make me hate your 'just friends' policy."

Alec laughed. "Then it will work."

I waved my hand toward my outfit. "Will this work?"

Alec eyed me. "Wear the black jeans with the zippers and chains that are kinda baggie, but everything else can stay the way it is."

After I changed, Alec pulled me from the hotel and we walked to the bar just down the street. Alec walked up to the bouncer and he smiled. "How are you today, miss?"

Alec smiled kindly. "I'll be better after my friend and I get a few drinks in our systems."

The guy laughed. "Go right on ahead."

We went inside and I took in the room. "Whoa."

Alec smiled. "Go get us some drinks and meet me on the dance floor."

She started to run off into the crowd of people but I caught her arm. "How do I get alcohol?"

Alec rolled her eyes. "They don't ID you once you're already inside."

"Oh." I said but she had already run off.

I went to the bar and leaned against the bar. I waited for the bartender to come over and when he did I ordered us two beers. I don't really mind beer and I figured that if Alec didn't she could get her own damn drink next time.

I made my way through the bodies on the dance floor and finally found Alec. She was jumping and shouting the words to some song by Flyleaf.

"Hey!" I shouted over the music.

She turned and smiled at me. She took the cup from me and took a giant gulp. "How did you know I like beer?" She shouted to me.

"I didn't. I was hoping it would make you go get your own drink next time." I shouted back.

Alec laughed. "Well, that was pointless."

"I guess so."

Once we were both a little tipsy off of these drinks called "Zazooki" the song "She got a dunk" came on and a few people started to leave the dance floor so that the talented girls could shake their asses to the song.

And of course, Alec got out there and shook her ass right along with them. I watched in amazement as she dropped her ass right along with these two black girls and then continued to shake it as she slowly moved in a circle.

Guys around us were shouting about how damn fine a lot of the girls were and most of them were shouting about "That fine, white girl" and I didn't need to ask to know which one they meant.

After an hour or two we were getting drunk. I set down my drink. "What are in these things?" I asked the bartender.

"Vodka and coffee." He told me.

Alec tapped the counter. "I think we need some limes, salt, and six shots of tequila."

I shook my head. "I don't do tequila, Alec."

Alec laughed. "Nico can't hang!"

"I can to!"

"Nico can't hang!" She shouted even louder.

I clenched my teeth not wanting to do this. "Get the shots."

Alec started laughing. "Whoa!"

Turns out Alec was a real pro at taking shots of tequila repetitively. She even went out and danced some more, but this time she dragged me with her.

"No, Alec, I don't dance." I argued.

"Yeah, but the alcohol does." She shot back.

She took my hand and led me to the dance floor. She stepped inside the circle that everyone had made around the people that were hip hop dancing.

I watched in amazement as Alec pulled out some pretty tight moves. It was like mixing Chris Brown, Usher, and Ciara.

Then she pulled me into the circle and everyone started shouting. I stared at her and she rolled her eyes. "Just do whatever."

So I did. I don't really know _exactly_ what I did but the drunken people around me thought it was cool.

Alec looked at her watch and her eyes got wide. "We need to go."

She pulled me off the dance floor and led the way to the door. Once we were outside she started walking faster.

"What's wrong?"

"It's three in the morning. Percy is going to be wondering where we are."

I looked at her for a minute. "What? I thought Percy knew where we were."

"You thought I was going to tell my brother that I was going to go to a club and drink? Nico, you can be so stupid."

I didn't talk. I was suddenly feeling sick to my stomach. "I don't feel so good."

Alec stopped and turned to look at me. "Oh, no, Nico, we don't have time for this."

I glared at her. "Okay, I'll wait until we have time to get sick."

"Thank you." Alec said as she started walking again.

Once we got to the door. Alec took a deep breath and opened it.

"Where the fuck have you been?" was the first thing we heard.

Percy's POV

Nico and Alec had been gone forever. At least Thalia and Rachel had come back at midnight.

Alec held up her hands defensively. "We were just down the road, Percy."

"Doing what?" I asked. "What could you have been out doing until three?"

Alec sank a little. "We lost track of time."

Nico was leaning against the wall and didn't look so great. "What's wrong with Nico?"

Alec looked at Nico and then closed her eyes momentarily in annoyance. "He'll be fine, just needs some sleep."

"Well we don't have time for that." I snapped. "Would you like to know what happened while you guys were out doing gods only know what?"

Alec rolled her eyes. "Sure, Percy, fucking enlighten us."

I smirked knowing this would make them feel like shit—because knowing that we were all worried didn't seem to. "Olympus is under attack; they need us there now."


	20. slow motion moments

**Okay, so this chapter is kind of sad but kind of cheesy. R&R!**

Max's POV

We took the strangest cab ride I had ever seen in my life. There were three women that were fighting over an eye and we were swerving and then I closed my eyes and tried not to barf.

When we finally stopped I dove out of the cab and sat on the solid ground. I didn't want to get in another car ever.

Nox tapped me on the shoulder. "Babe, get up we have to get to New York ASAP."

I glared at him. "You mean we're not there yet?"

I looked up and saw Percy's Hummer and the camp van. I groaned loudly remembering we ditched them in Virginia and that we still had a ways to go before we got to the empire state building.

Nox laughed. "Let's go."

I woke up to someone shaking me. "Max, wake up we're here."

I groaned. "What?"

"Max, get the fuck up we don't have time for your bull shit." The voice was now a female and she was being a major bitch.

"Leave me alone, Alec."

The car door I was leaning on came open and I opened my eyes in time to see the ground rushing toward me. I was stopped by someone grabbing my shirt just before I did a total face plant on the ground.

Alec pulled me to my feet and smiled. "Have a nice trip?"

I pushed her away from me. "Oh, bite a dick, Alec."

"Not likely." Alec laughed.

I finally looked at her. I mean, _really_ looked at her. She had dark circles under her eyes and she looked like she hadn't slept in a month. "Are you okay?"

Alec cocked her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You look sick and you're really pale—like a dead guy." I said.

Alec just smiled but I could tell there was something behind it. "I'm fine."

She ran off after that. I stared after her wishing we were as close as we used to be.

Alec had always been my best friend—even before we found out who we really were. We had helped each other through high and low. She stayed with me during her mother's drunken spells. She was my first kiss.

I loved Alec—not the way I used to, but as friends. There was nothing that she couldn't tell me, but I hated the way she was constantly choosing not to.

Nox took my hand. "Let's go, the gods need us."

"Remind me why the gods can't defend their own thrones." I asked to no one in particular.

"Well, according to Grover, the gods are being attacked at their palaces. They want to defend Olympus but they can't risk their homes." Percy explained. "It's pretty much the same thing that happened four years ago. Only this time, even Hades is being attacked."

"What?" Nico and Nox asked at the same time.

Alec rolled her eyes—was it just me or were they a darker blue? "Don't worry, I'm sure there are a ton of dead soldiers to keep daddy safe."

"He'll be fine." Percy said reassuringly. "We have to go now."

Percy's POV

The elevator ride was quiet. All of us that had been here before didn't really feel different from all the other times but Alec, Nox, and Max were shaking. Well, Alec was still miss cool-calm-and-collected, but I could tell she was excited.

When the doors opened Annabeth gasped. "What happened?"

The place was dark and scary. Buildings were destroyed completely and statues were torn down.

I noticed a look pass between Nico and Alec. They seemed to know something that I didn't.

"It's almost like being in the tunnels." Thalia said slowly. "This is bad."

We stepped out of the elevator and the doors closed behind us. I could hear shouting and I saw other demi-gods running around.

"Clarisse!" I shouted loudly.

Clarisse turned to me and looked relieved. "It's about time you got here! We need help! Get to the throne room fast!"

She ran off to go fight some monsters.

We ran as fast as we could through the streets. Different monsters were jumping out everywhere and we had to stop and fight all the time.

Seven Hell Hounds jumped out at us. One landed on Nico, one on Rachel and Thalia, one on Annabeth and I, one on Nox, one on Alec, and two on Max.

We fought as hard as we could. Finally we were free of the hounds and began to run again.

Suddenly Max fell but she scrambled to her feet. "I can't!"

We all stopped. "What the fuck are you talking about, Max?" Nox asked.

"I have to help them." Max said. She was cut up badly and was breathing raggedly.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

She nodded. Alec stepped forward. "That's a damn lie! You're bleeding. A lot."

Alec seemed to be clenching her teeth. Her eyes were starting to flicker into a darker color.

Nico grabbed her arm and whispered something in her ear. Nox reached out to Max but she pulled away. "Just go! I need to help my family."

She turned to walk away and Nox sighed. "Don't get yourself killed." He yelled after her.

Max turned back and smiled at him. "Right back at ya."

We started to run again. Alec was acting strange and I was getting worried. Was she going to turn into one of those things now?

We climbed the stairs to the throne room and saw the thing from the tunnels. It was standing in the middle of the room—just out of the light of the fire. Maggie and Luke were closer to us on either side of the monster.

"You have finally reached the end." Luke said laughing. "We get to kill you now."

I swung Riptide threateningly. "You can _try_ to kill us . . . but odds are we live."

It was a bluff. I had learned it from Alec. I glanced back at her and I saw tears in her eyes.

She mouthed a word as I heard a familiar sound coming from the creature. "Sword."

When a large glow caught my attention, I realized that the monster had drawn his sword. It was golden with strange markings all over it. I saw skeletons in rows like an army and fire everywhere. It was . . . awesome. That's the only thing I could think of to describe it.

I took a step forward. "I'll take on the guy with the pimp ass sword."

Alec grabbed my arm suddenly. When I looked into her eyes she was crying. "Please, Percy, no. Don't fight him. You're going to lose."

I instantly became afraid. Alec knew I was. I took a deep breath and was grateful for the fact that Alec had said that low enough for the enemy not to hear. "I have to."

With that I turned around and went to face the monster that had made me choose between two of the most important people in my life, the thing that was in control of my little sister's soul.

"Bring it on, bitch."

"_This is an honorable, but unwise choice, Mr. Jackson."_ The monster said without moving.

"That's what I would say too if I thought I was about to get my ass kicked."

The monster laughed. _"If you wish to fight me, know that in killing me it will not save your sister's soul."_

"We'll see about that." I said through clenched teeth. I sprang forward with Riptide and then realized something that I hadn't even thought of before: All I could see of this thing was his sword and his eyes.

I swung my sword and heard it clang against his and I felt the shock that shot through my arms as it happened. I could hear something going on behind me but I didn't dare take my eyes from this fight.

Our swords clashed and clanged loudly. We fought for what felt like hours and then I heard a shout that I recognized immediately.

It was Alec, but what she said scared me even more. "You killed her, you stupid son of a bitch!"

Max's POV

I felt something wrong in my gut. It wasn't pain or anything—although I did have a lot of that—but it was like I knew something was going to happen.

I snapped out of my thoughts long enough to block several shots coming from a drakon. I ran at it with my dagger and dodged the poison spray. I sprang onto its back and realized for the first time how big this fucker was.

It went down three of Olympus's blocks and then the rest wrapped around the corner. It was easily two hundred and some-wad feet. Other Ares kids were fighting the thing and we were taking it down pretty good.

Clarisse was on the creatures back with me. "I haven't don't shit like this in four years."

I stabbed the drakon best I could but chinks were hard to find on this thing. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think I'm getting to old for this shit." Clarisse shouted back as she drove her sword into the monster's side. I was shocked when it sank all the way in.

Then I heard something. I couldn't name what it was or how I heard it but I just know that the sound made me want to get to the owner as fast as I could.

I turned to Clarisse and opened my mouth.

"I already know." She said. "Go help your friends, I got this."

I smiled at her and then jumped down off the drakon and ran straight for the throne room. I tore through the monsters that were trying to stop me and reached the room in record time.

Percy was fighting that thing from the tunnels. Alec was fighting Luke. Monsters were everywhere and everyone else was fighting them.

I worked my way through the monsters trying to find Nox. I kicked, hit, stabbed, and slashed with every step I took.

I looked up and saw Luke push Alec to the floor. She stood up quickly but he was right on her. What was wrong with Alec? She never lost.

As I got closer I saw Luke use some bad ass sword trick to knock Alec's weapon away. She was defenseless now.

Luke brought his knife into sight and I couldn't move. I knew what was going to happen.

Then Nico shoved Luke sideways and Luke went falling to the ground. He was now about three feet in front of me.

He sprang to his feet but I shoved him again. He tried to regain his balance and he almost had it before I started swinging with my dagger that was gifted to me by my father.

Luke blocked most of my attacks but I got a few cuts on him. I won't lie; he got cuts on me to.

Suddenly, Alec was beside me and she gave me a look I remembered from when we were eleven. I backed off quickly and Alec jumped in. They swung with deadly accuracy. Alec was getting cut to shit and Luke was right there with her.

Alec had switched back to using a normal sword and now they were an even match. She just needed more practice with that trident before she took on someone in one-on-one.

I went back to fighting monsters and didn't really pay attention to their fight anymore. As a matter of fact I probably would have forgotten about it if Alec hadn't fallen on her ass right in front of me a while later.

I looked back to see Luke bringing up a small knife and then it shot forward.

Everything was in slow motion. Like when you're watching one of those cheesy movies and they do something bad ass and everything is slow.

The knife was flying toward Alec. Alec was getting up off the ground and didn't even move out from the line of fire. She saw the blade coming and it was like she accepted it. Almost as if she knew she was meant to die during this battle and decided this was the time for it.

Not on my watch.

I hurled my dagger through the air and prayed that it would hit its target as I threw myself forward and knocked Alec out of the way.

The next few seconds were a blur but I remember Alec staring up at me in shock and me collapsing beside her. I looked at myself and saw Luke's knife deep inside my stomach.

I couldn't feel any pain though. I wasn't sure why but I just didn't. There was nothing. I was aware for the amount of blood I was losing and I knew this was not good, but I couldn't let go of the fact that I felt no pain.

"Nox!" I heard someone screaming. It was strange how fuzzy things were now. Voices all seemed to blend into a wall of sound.

"Max!" I heard someone else say. Nox's face was over me and he seemed shocked and scared and that bothered me. Then I realized that I still had that knife sticking out of me.

"Take it out."

Nox shook his head. "If we do that you'll bleed more and that'll . . . we can't."

"I'm gonna die. Take it out."

"You are not going to die." Alec's hard voice said beside me.

I ignored her and then looked Nox in the eyes. He had tears in his. Nox was able to except truth in decent ways, but Alec was either in denial or way to blunt about things.

Nox reached over and pulled out the knife. I cried out in pain, but it went away quickly.

I took Nox's hand and kissed it softly. "I love you, boy."

Nox was seriously crying now. "I love you too."

I turned to Alec. She was crying. "Why would you try to save me you stupid, stupid girl?"

I held out my hand and remembered our hand shake from when we were little. We had quit doing it when we were fourteen and decided we were too old for handshakes. "Friends 'til the end."

Alec was trying not to sob now. She reached out, took my hand, and finished the words. "And then some."

Alec's POV

Max closed her eyes and didn't open them again. She stopped breathing. She was dead.

**Okay, so yeah that was kinda sad and I tried to make the death scene not so corny but IDK if it worked. Anyways R&R!**


	21. Don't fight fair that's not how you win

Alec's POV

I stood up and had the utter most hate in my heart, eyes, and soul. I looked straight at Luke. "You killed her, you stupid son of a bitch!"

Luke pulled something out of his shoulder and groaned. He threw it forward and I saw what it was: Max's dagger. I stepped forward and picked it up. Max died from his blade; he would die from hers.

I ran forward and Luke barely had time to raise his sword before the dagger was crashing down. He deflected it though. I was moving Max's blade faster than I had ever moved a sword and was applying all of my training to this one fight. This fucker was going to die.

I slashed and swung and Luke did his best to dodge but I was getting the upper hand. Luke swung his sword at my head and I ducked and kicked his legs out from under him.

He smacked the ground hard and the sound echoed through the throne room. I brought down the blade Max had been given by her father and it slammed into his stomach—in the same place his knife had been on Max.

Luke cried out in pain and tried to pull the knife out. I put my foot down on the hilt and held it in place. "How does that feel?"

Luke just cried out again.

"Does it hurt?" When he only shouted again, I released the pressure. "Good."

I don't really know what happened to Luke after that. He could have turned to dust or died or got up and ran off. I was walking back to Max.

Nox was staring at me in awe. "You're glowing."

"What?"

"It's the blessing of Ares." A voice said from the entrance of the room. I looked up to see Clarisse coming toward us. "I've never seen it on a non-Ares child before. You must have done something great."

She leaned down next to Max and brushed some hair out of her face. Clarisse was a bad ass but she was also very soft when it came to her siblings or people she really cared about. "Go and fight. Honor her by winning."

Nox and I stood and threw ourselves into the fight with more force than before. We were crushing every evil bitch in our paths. It was as if nothing could touch me. I was aware that monsters were throwing spears and arrows at me but for a while it was as if I was as invincible as Percy.

Speaking of Percy . . . he was barely hanging on. The monster and him were fighting with everything they had and Percy was losing. I could see blood running down the side of his face and he was limping.

I looked at the sword and _knew_ that Luke was never the one that was to kill me. I knew I was going to die; I just had a better insight now.

This was my choice to make. I could run or I could save my brother. I couldn't help but think of Jaxon.

I had made the wrong choice then and it cost me everything. Now I had a new everything. I wasn't going to lose it again.

Percy's POV

I was losing. Alec was right. This was hopeless. I was bleeding and I hurt, but I couldn't stop fighting.

My sword was heavy in my hands and I was feeling sick. I couldn't keep going but I had to. I needed water.

Alec appeared out of nowhere. She was _on the monster's back_! He cried out and tried to get rid of her but was failing miserably.

"Stay away from my brother!" Alec was shouting.

I saw that Alec was glowing. She was flickering with red and I remembered seeing this only once before in my life, but there was no way a child of Poseidon could get the blessing of Ares.

The monster knocked me backwards in his tries to free himself of Alec. Finally he threw her off. She was back on her feet instantly and she went after him with her sword.

They clashed with more force than had been necessary. I watched in a daze as she moved in a fast blur. She was the most incredible fighter I had ever seen.

She went for weak spots and didn't care if she fought dirty. I remembered her telling me on our first day of training together, _don't fight fair; that's not how you win._ She had been right.

With all of her cheap tricks and dirty moves, she had given the monster something to fear. I was in awe.

Annabeth came and grabbed my arm. "What are you doing? Did you kill it?"

I shook my head and pointed. "I don't think I have to."

Annabeth looked up at the monster and Alec and gasped. "She has the blessing—"

"Of Ares." I finished.

"Is that possible?"

I shrugged. "Not sure. Alec seems to have a lot of things that no child of Poseidon should have. We need to do something to help though. Alec's cheap tricks aren't going to keep her alive forever."

I knew by the look on her face that Annabeth was thinking hard. She must have caught a few words and then started to brainstorm.

I rolled my eyes. "Think later. We need to go."

Annabeth looked at me. "Sorry. You're right, we need to help her."

Nico's POV

I watched as Alec's tricks ran out. She was losing her glow and the monster was getting the better of her now. Alec had begged me not to try and save her. How could I just let her die?

Alec's sword was thrown from her hands and she pulled out Under Tow. I knew that she didn't have enough practice with that thing to take on me let alone this monster.

This is where she is going to die. The thought hurt me, but I could feel in my guy it was true. I killed monsters and tried not to think of ways to save her.

She asked me not to. She asked me not to. She asked me not to. I continued to repeat the line over and over in my head . . . but I realized I was fighting closer and closer to them.

I _had_ to help if things went bad. I mean, when Luke was going to kill her I jumped in and nothing bad happened. What would be so different?

Just as I was thinking that, Under Tow went flying from Alec's hands. She had no weapon. She was going to die now.

"_I do not wish to hurt you, but this must be done."_ The monster said.

Alec smiled at him. "Shame. I wanted to be a big bad monster."

She really was laughing in the face of death. She told me that she would but I guess I thought her fear would show a little. The way she was now you would think she was either insane or oblivious to what was going on around her.

I jumped forward and slammed into the monster's side. The creature was gross and felt disgusting against my skin. As if someone had been burned badly and then covered with slime.

"Nico!" Alec shouted at me. "What the fuck are you doing?"

I didn't answer her, I just threw a sword to her and she caught it. The creature stood. _"You do not fight fairly, Andrew."_

"You're not supposed to fight fair; it's not how you win." Alec snapped back.

I smiled at her. She really was amazing. Then things went really wrong, really fast.

Alec and the monster ran after each other. They swung their swords at the same time, but they aimed for different places.

Alec aimed for his throat and he aimed for her waist. They were open in the place where the other was planning to attack.

Alec's blade sliced cleanly into the front of the monster's neck. His blade missed Alec's middle. They both dropped their weapons and fell back.

Alec scrambled to her feet and almost fell again before I caught her. "Alec, you need to sit down."

"Is it dead?" She asked.

"Sit down." I told her again. She was cut up bad and didn't look like she could stand anymore.

"Is the fucker dead?" She snapped at me.

I looked over at the creature. I couldn't since a life-force. "Yeah, I think so. Why are the rest of these fuckers still here? They should run now that their commander has fallen."

Alec didn't seem to like the 'I think so' but she didn't argue. "He must not be fully dead. They will stay until his last breath or until he orders them to." She sighed. "We need to go."

I looked back at where the monster had been. It was empty. The creature was gone. I had other things to worry about. "The infirmary is a long ways from here; you'll never make it there."

"I wasn't talking about the infirmary. We need to go help. Fight in honor of Max." She said.

I stared at her. "What do you mean, 'in honor of Max'?"

She met my eyes. "She died. She tried to save me and she died."

I felt my chest get heavy thinking of how my brother would take this. "You can't fight anymore, Alec, you're banged up pretty bad."

A Hell Hound jumped out from behind Athena's throne and I had to drop Alec fast. The Hound still knocked me to the floor but I managed to get out my sword. Before I could even start fighting it, an arrow shot through the Hound's head and it turned to ash.

I looked up and saw Alec standing over me with a bow and a bag full of arrows that she must have picked up. "Still think I can't fight?"

I shook my head. "Fight away."

She spun around and began shooting arrows with an accuracy I didn't know she had. She was striking them down with powerful blows that made other monsters run.

Thalia had almost been stabbed in the back by a monster but Alec shot it down with one of her arrows of death. I through myself into the fight again, but I didn't have to do much work.

Every time I was even close to a monster, I was mysteriously turned to ash by an arrow. I did manage to cut down a few monsters when Alec was saving other members of our group's asses.

"I killed the GreatOne!" She shouted over and over. "If you want death, face me!"

Monsters were running away in fear and I stared up at Alec. She was beautiful and powerful and a true hero of the gods.

The monsters turned to ash. It was as if they had a self destruct button and someone pushed each one at the same time. The creature was either dead or it knew it had lost.

There were eight of us in the throne room. Max was lying on the ground and Nox and Clarisse were crouched beside her.

Alec stood with an arrow still drawn as everyone filed into the room. The gods appeared in their thrones and they were clearing themselves of battle armor.

Every god in the room seemed to be looking straight at Alec. She didn't seem to notice though. I looked at her and she was clenching her teeth and taking slow, deep breaths.

Apollo watched her from his throne. It was like he knew something was going to happen. Percy ran over and hugged Alec. She cried out in pain.

Percy shot back. "Are you okay?"

Alec was gasping for air. "Broken ribs, that's all."

"ALEC ANDREW!" A voice boomed through the room. Zeus eyed her for a moment. "You are hurt."

Alec looked as if she wanted to kill him. "Yes, Zeus, I'm in need of—"

Alec froze and shut her eyes for a minute. When she opened them again, they were glassy. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could her eyes rolled back and she hit the floor.

Shouts rang out across the room and Poseidon was at her side. He looked up at me. "Son of Hades you must move back. She needs the attention of the gods."

Apollo came forward to help. He placed his hands on her stomach and then pulled off her jacket. I saw that it had a giant gash in it and realized what I should have known already.

The creature hadn't missed Alec; she was just too stubborn to sit out the fight. She had been bleeding to death in front of me as I watched her shoot down our enemies. She fired row after row of arrows while all the while knowing that they would remain here until the GreatOne took its last breath.

She had known she would die but she fought anyways. She was the definition of the word _hero_ through and through. No one could deny it.

Alec coughed. "Get away." She shoved at Apollo's hand. "I'm supposed to die, remember?"

Poseidon watched Alec in awe. "You are the child of the verse, Alec. The true protector of the people. I am only sorry that it is your destiny to fall on Olympus."

Poseidon looked as if he were sorry for something else to but Alec looked up at him as if she already knew . . . and that she knew he was not to blame.

Alec swallowed hard. "I hate mushy stuff. Where's my brother?"

Percy's POV

I stepped forward and saw Alec lying on the ground with my father beside her. I had heard enough of their conversation to know that Alec was going to die.

I took her hand and smiled bravely at her. "I don't know what to say."

Alec took a deep breath and used my arm to pull her up. She did it quickly before anyone could stop her. "You take care of those babies, understand? You do not let anything happen to them and, for god's sake, no more dangerous quests. They need their parents."

I looked her in the eyes. "You have my word."

Alec smiled. "Tell Annabeth the same thing and if she refuses I'm going to haunt her."

I couldn't keep a smile off my face. "I'll be sure to do that."

Thalia suddenly pushed forward and was crying. She fell to her knees beside Alec and just stared at her. Alec met her eyes and I knew a silent understanding passed between them both.

Nico was next to step up next to Alec. I had no idea what the two of them said because Alec was either too hurt to speak or they were whispering. I do know that when Nico stood up he had silent tears streaming down his face.

I glanced around and saw that every demi-god in the room was crying. Even the Ares campers had tears.

Alec reached out to my father. They locked eyes and she smiled at him for—what I guess—the first time ever. "I could never ask for a better father . . . and I couldn't make it as a mortal. How boring would that be for me?"

Poseidon smiled. "You will have a nice home in the Underworld."

Alec grinned. "I better."

Everyone laughed without knowing they were. When we stopped, it was clear that Alec was no longer breathing—no longer alive.

**Yeah, that was probably the longest death scene ever but I felt it was necessary. Antywhos R&R!**


	22. Looking back

Annabeth's POV

It was the end of the summer now. Percy still wasn't fully healed from Alec's death. No one was, really. She had touched so many people and we couldn't help but love her.

I thought back to that day constantly. I was always thinking about what happened after her body was carried out on a stretcher.

The gods rewarded us by finally telling us about the prophecy. What they had meant by 'child of the verse'.

Zeus stood and addressed everyone in the room. "Alec was the assumed child of the verse. Three years ago, we received a prophecy from the Oracle. She does not remember giving it and kept asking continuously what she had said."

Athena was next to stand. "A child born of the sea but created by all unknowing gods would one day save Olympus. This child would then turn evil and be slain by someone close to their heart."

"But Alec has died, mother!" I protested.

"The child was to die before evil took its toll." Poseidon said. "We believe that Alec is not completely dead but one of the creatures that have attacked in camp, in the tunnels, and here on Olympus."

"Know that Alec died a hero." Hades said surprising everyone—even a few gods. "She did not choose to be one of the creatures and she knew a very long time ago what she would turn into. She continued to fight and kill the same creatures that would one day be her own kind in spite of her knowledge, therefore, she is a true hero of Olympus."

Everyone was quiet. Hades had said everything that everyone had needed to hear.

"What does it mean by 'created by all unknowing gods'? In the prophecy, I mean." I asked.

"Well, we suspect that the creature came in and froze the gods. We are unsure how but we know it must have done something to keep us in the dark." Athena said. "It took the youngest child of Poseidon and fused our powers into it."

"Alec gained the gift of prophecy." Apollo said.

"She had the knowledge of the past." Athena put in.

"Her ability to be truthful in relationships . . . even when her heart wanted something else." Hera added.

I remember realizing things about Alec that had fit many traits passed down to demi-god children.

"Her mechanical skills." Hephaestus said quietly. "To bad she didn't get a chance to use them to their full potential."

"Her control over her alcohol intake was from me." Dionysus said.

"Her connection with animals." Artemis said walking up to her throne. She was wounded and limping but she was clearly alive. "She got that gift from me."

Everyone bowed to Artemis—even Thalia. She had been out and gods only knows what had happened to her hunters.

"Her ability to know what a lost cause was and what was worth fighting for." Hades said. "It's a trait that I always wished would get passed to my own children, but it seems this child was more fitting."

"I don't believe we should feel the need to go on with this." Zeus said. "Alec will be missed by her friends and family for now, but we must accept that it is possible for her to return. We must also except that she will not be herself when she does."

Percy was holding my hand tightly. "They are wrong." He whispered through clenched teeth. "Alec can't be evil. It's just not her."

The memory always ended there. We had all been hoping that Alec would pull through that very day and be as normal as she was before, but we were rational.

Alec was gone. She didn't wake up at all this summer and Percy doubted if she would ever get up. He was thinking that the gods had picked the wrong person and that somewhere down the years a different child of Poseidon would be the child of the verse.

I placed my hands on my stomach. I was around nine months—not literally but in my condition wise, yes. The last time I went to the doctor he had told me I could pop any day. Percy was always right next to me each and every time I went to the doctor. He was keeping his word to Alec to always be by my side.

I smiled thinking back. Percy's mother had been shocked when we told her but then she started crying and we thought she was going to be worse than my father about the whole thing—he had threatened to kill Percy if he ever left me over a thousand times now.

Instead she just let me know that if I ever needed anything she and Paul were there and that I better call her as soon as I have the babies.

After that I left the room so that she and Percy could talk. She must have spoken with him about Alec because he was crying when he came back and when I asked him what happened he just shook his head.

I felt a sharp pain in my side and I clenched my teeth. I had been getting these pains quite a bit lately. The first time I got them Percy had freaked out and thought I was going to have the babies.

I sat in the chair looking out his cabin window. I was permitted to stay in Percy's cabin from now until the babies were born, but I wasn't allowed to train.

All I could do was walk around camp, eat, sleep, and wait in the cabin for Percy. I decided it was time for a bath. I stood up with difficulty and walked to the bathroom.

I felt a warm wetness go down my legs as the next pain hit. I froze where I was and refused to glance down. There was no way this was happening now.

Percy was getting ready to call a cab. He wasn't going to be back for at least thirty minutes.

I walked out to the porch and realized that at this time most of the campers were leaving or training quickly before they had to leave.

I gripped the railing as the next pain pulled in my gut.

"Hey, Annabeth, what's up?" A girl's voice asked.

I looked up to see Clarisse walking by. She hadn't been looking for an answer; she was just walking by.

"Clarisse!" I was so happy to see someone. "I need your help."

Clarisse looked at me weirdly. "Is something wrong?"

"Percy is getting the cab and my water just broke."

Clarisse dropped her sword and gear and ran to my side. "What do you need me to do?"

I took a deep breath and then snatched Clarisse's hand and squeezed it tightly as more pain came. "I need Percy."

"Uh . . . how do I . . . never mind, just go and sit on the bed and I'll be back in two seconds."

I did what she told me as Clarisse ran off. I sat down on the bed and took deep breaths. "Just calm down, Annabeth. It's going to be fine." I repeated to myself over and over.

Clarisse came back after a minute or two. "Okay, I told the first camper I saw to go find Percy. He should be here soon."

"Okay," I took a few more deep breaths and then clenched my teeth as another pain racked through me.

The door flew open and Percy came rushing inside. He sat next to me and took my hand. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not fucking okay! I'm having twins!" I shouted without meaning to.

Percy didn't yell back. "Okay, you're going to be fine."

Chiron came inside and two nurses followed him. They came and checked my dilation and rattled off some numbers.

I didn't really pay attention until one of the nurses told me to push.

"What?" I asked bewildered. "I'm not even drugged up!"

"We don't have time for that, Annabeth. We need you to push." The nurse told me in a soothing voice.

"No! Fuck you, lady! I want drugs; I want the maximum legal amount of drugs!" I shouted.

"We do not have time!" The nurse stressed. "You need to push, Annabeth."

I took a deep breath and pushed.

Nico's POV

I sat in the dark training field. This was the first place Alec and I really had a conversation. I laughed as I thought back.

I walked out onto the field to go kick some dummy's asses and I noticed that there was another person here. I thought that it was some first year that wouldn't know what they were doing.

I couldn't tell who they were because of the war helmet they were wearing.

I was brought up short when I saw them beating the shit out of the dummies. They used so many trick moves and it amazing to watch.

The kid finally stopped and began to put away the destroyed dummies.

"That was pretty cool." I said.

The kid didn't even jump. "You would know. You've been staring for ten minutes."

I was surprised that the voice belonged to a girl and because she had known I was watching her. She took off her helmet and tucked it under her arm. "You're Alec, right?"

The girl looked bored. "Yup."

I stared at her. "How did you know I was here?"

"I heard you coming from the other side of the field."

I glanced at her. "How?"

She rolled her eyes. "Anyone could hear those big ass feet of yours stomping around."

I narrowed my eyes. "I don't stomp."

"Yeah? That's a damn lie." Alec said raising an eyebrow. "You're always pissed off."

"What the fuck ever, I am not." I glared at her. "Weren't you leaving?"

Alec smirked. "Well, I thought I would hang around here for a bit."

"Why?"

This made Alec smile more. "Why not?"

"I don't really want you here, Alec." I said meanly. It usually made girls go away.

"I don't really care." Alec said sitting down in the grass. "You can either train or go back to your cabin. It don't really matter much to me."

Alec was always a stubborn person. I smiled slightly. Thalia walked up to me. "Annabeth had the babies. I just thought I should tell you."

I looked up at her. I hadn't realized I had sat down until now. I stood up and walked past her.

"You know, you're not the only one who misses her." Thalia said suddenly.

I turned back to her. "What?"

Thalia watched me. "You weren't the only one that lost Alec and you should stop acting like you were."

"I'm not." I said.

"You haven't said a sentence longer than three words since she died. You come out here every night and stare off into space. You are still stuck on her."

"I'm not stuck on her." I said. Ha that was more than three words.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You can deny it all you want but I know it's true." She was quiet for a while. "What did she say to you . . . before she died?"

I clenched my teeth. "Couldn't hear her."

"Bull Shit, Nico!"

"Leave me the fuck alone!" I shouted. "You seem to be the one with a problem getting over Alec! Do you think we don't notice when you cry in your sleep? How about when you sneak out to go sit on the beach? Or how you barely eat? We all can see that you are the one with a problem!"

I was aware that that was the biggest statement I had made since Alec had died but I didn't care. Thalia was ashamed now and crying silent tears and I didn't care. She had brought it on herself when she started bugging me about what Alec had told me.

That was my secret. I would die with it. Those words would not be understood by anyone except me. So why would I tell anyone?

"Alec was important to me. I miss her. That is as far as my pain goes." Thalia said in a hollow voice. "You don't even try to make this easier on people. You make it clear—everyday—that she is gone."

I glared at Thalia. "You think I should just forget?"

"No," Thalia said. "But you should cope."

"I am coping." I said. "In my way."

"Your way doesn't work!" Thalia shouted. "It hurts the rest of us when you walk around like a fucking zombie!"

I got right in Thalia's face. How dare she try and make me feel bad? She was worse off than I was. So what if I didn't hang out with them as much as I used to? I spoke in a cold hard voice. "At least I don't pretend I didn't love her."

Percy's POV

A few hours later I was sitting by the window holding my baby girl. She had blonde hair and bright blue-green eyes. I smiled at her as she looked up at me.

I couldn't help but notice this was the first time I was truly happy since the day of the battle. It wasn't just because I had two children that I loved with everything in me.

I couldn't really put my finger on why I was so happy. Annabeth was sleeping soundly on the bed with our second daughter curled up next to her.

She had black hair and stormy grey eyes. It was strange how even though they had been born, it didn't make them really real.

We hadn't even named them yet. Hell, I hadn't even called my mother yet.

I was too lost in my little girl's eyes to do much of anything. I didn't even hear Annabeth walking up to stand beside me.

"She looks a lot like her." Annabeth said.

I looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

Annabeth set our youngest daughter down in the crib we had bought a few weeks back and then took the other girl from me. "She looks just like Alec."

I stared at Annabeth. It was the first time she had ever said my sister's name around me since she had died. I stood up and looked down at our child. "What are we going to name them?"

Annabeth smiled down at the girl in the crib. "I like the name Ree-Anne. It's simple."

"I'm more of a Harley fan myself."

Annabeth smiled at me. "How about . . . Harley Ree-Anne Jackson?"

"I like it." I agreed. "Now what do we name the blonde beauty?"

Annabeth grinned down at the little girl. "Alec Andrew Phoenix Chase."

She wasn't leaving this name up for debate. She had decided already. I glanced at her. "Why did you pick that name? 'Phoenix'?"

Annabeth didn't look up while she spoke. "Have you ever heard of the mythological fire bird? It lives a great life and when the time comes it sets itself on fire and turns to ash. Out of the ash springs new life." Annabeth looked up at me with sparkles in her eyes. "Another bird is born from the ashes of the first, Percy."

I just stared at her for a while. She had really put thought into this. I suddenly felt myself smiling. "I love you, Annabeth."

She smiled back. "I love you too, you bawl bag." She reached up and brushed a tear that I hadn't realized had fallen from my cheek.

I kissed her forehead. I leaned down and kissed Alec on her cheek. "I love you . . ." I went over to the crib and kissed Harley on her cheek, "And I love you." I walked back to Annabeth. "And I really love you."

Annabeth laughed. "You are insane, SeaWeed Brain."

I smiled and kissed her again. This was my new family. I would protect them with everything I had. I would keep my word to Alec not just because she had asked me to, but because I wouldn't be happy if I didn't.


	23. Epiloge: New leader

**This is the LAST chapter! It's in third person. If you don't like they way I wrote it just leave a review or send a P.M. I'm sorry if it is confusing. I wanted to try something new. So anyways R&R!**

**Love all ya's and thank you for following this story!**

The blonde girl ran fast. She was being chased. She turned dark corners but couldn't seem to find the city in this darkness. She was starting to panic—her chaser could smell her fear.

The girl was sobbing as she ran. She knew something was going to happen if she stopped. She turned around another corner and could see a long stretch of alleyway in front of her.

She didn't remember how she had gotten lost in this maze of alley and darkness. All she could focus on was getting away.

She couldn't hear the footsteps of whoever was in pursuit but she could feel they were there. Following.

She needed to get away now!

The next corner revealed that she was twenty yards from a road. She ran.

She was passed a turn off and kept toward the place she needed—the road. She wasn't sure when it happened but she was soon on the ground and staring up at the person that had been following her.

She began to sob harder. "Please, don't hurt me!"

The person didn't answer. They reached down and pulled the girl to her feet. An evil look crossed the capturer's face. They smiled with a pride in their catch and sharp teeth glinted behind the ruby red lips.

The blonde girl had seen this before. It wasn't just in like every horror movie—it had been in a dream of hers. The girl wasn't just a normal kid lost in the alleys of New York. She was a demi-god; the daughter of Apollo.

She felt the teeth pierce her skin. She could feel her life flowing out of her neck while her capturer fed. She screamed in fear and pain. The sound was the last one she would ever make.

—o—

The brown haired boy was running as fast as he could. He was a great fighter but even he was no match for a Manticre on his own.

The second boy had been lost somewhere behind him. They were recent friends with only one thing in common.

The boy had heard of a camp not far from where they had been hiding. He ran and shouted for help. He prayed that he was running in the right direction.

He needed help. He would die if he ran any longer. Air was hot in his lungs and his legs felt frozen in ice that was so cold it was burning.

Burning. That's what he felt. A burning sensation in his shoulder. He knew the poison of the Manticore was surging through his body, pumping through his veins.

He shouted again. "Help! I need help please!"

Again no one came to the boy's rescue. He was beginning to lose speed; he had exhausted himself. He knew that he would become just another dead demi-god.

He wondered if they would even know what Olympian god he was born unto. He couldn't go any farther. He just couldn't.

"Mace!" The second boy's voice shouted.

Mace looked behind him and with a sudden surge of energy stopped to fight. He was not alone like he had thought.

The second boy had other plans though. He slammed into Mace and they tumbled to one side as a spike from the Manticore sunk deeply into the ground.

"Mal, what are you doing?" Mace shouted. "Let's fight the thing."

"Fuuuuck that!" Mal shouted. "Run you stupid shit!"

They flew to their feet and raced farther. Mal was always faster of the two and his black hair was getting tossed around in the wind. He was regretting his emo style for the first time ever.

They shouted for help until their throats tasted of blood. Mace's burst of energy was going away as he realized they were still in danger.

They could see a dragon up ahead and realized that they must be getting close. They began to scream and shout with new hope.

A boy with dark hair and olive skin heard the shouting before anyone else. He looked around and noticed the other kids running.

He walked lazily out to the field and patted the guarding dragon on the head as he passed.

The dark haired boy continued out to the field and drew his sword. It was nothing special but he liked the feel of it in his hands—he wasn't allowed to love anymore.

Mal and Mace slowed as they reached him. He didn't speak—he only pointed. The kids got the message.

They ran toward camp. When the fighting actually started they were already over the hill and out of sight.

Mace slammed into a girl with black hair and punk clothes. The two demi-gods fell to the ground and rolled a small ways.

The girl was on her feet before Mace. She looked the two new children up and down. "Who are you?"

Mal huffed. "We don't get a 'Hi'?"

Mal was a smart ass but a great fighter. Mace extended his hand. "I'm Mace Carter, a son of Hephaestus. This is Mal, son of Zeus."

The girl with dark hair only stared at his hand until he dropped it. "I'm Thalia. The daughter of Zeus."

A wise-cracking smile lit of the face of Zeus's son. "What are the odds? Our Dad must be hot! I mean, look at us."

Thalia wasn't amused. "Cabin One. Go unpack. What was chasing you?"

The dark haired boy came back. "Manticore." He put away his sword. "Don't worry."

Thalia didn't like the boy's bored tone—as if he were a bad ass or something. "You run him off with that face, Nico?"

Nico didn't even show his anger. He simply shook his head. "With my sword."

Mace was tired. "What cabin is for the kids of Hephaestus?"

"Don't pay attention."Thalia admitted. "Ask around for Jake Manson; he can tell you."

Mal and Mace were gone within short seconds. The other two demi-gods were left with a stare down.

Nico didn't care who won. His uncaring expression was the opposite of the angered one that stared back at him.

When Nico would move, Thalia would block his way. "What's up?" He finally asked.

Thalia's eyes narrowed as usual. "You are still holding out."

The conversation was over for Nico already. "Nox needs me."

"You can't run all the time." Thalia called as the demi-god walked away.

Nico didn't care what she said. She was nosier than the Aphrodite campers. Thalia was bothered by the fact that Alec would speak to Nico the way she did.

Demi-gods were a strange race of people. One minute they could be perfectly fine and the next they would be a ticking time bomb. Nico had been cold and emotionless since Alec's death.

The whole camp was beginning to believe that Alec was not coming back. She had been locked away in a room on Olympus and has never woken up.

A cold wind washed through the camp and Rachel felt a familiar feeling. She hated this feeling.

She reached out and grabbed the nearest camper before she collapsed. The boy dropped hisbelongings and caught her out of instinct.

He didn't know her or why she was falling over like this but he didn't need to. Rachel's eyes turned the familiar glowing green and she felt the voice of the Oracle creep up her throat.

"_Awakes in dark.  
Hunger, a familiar spark.  
The depth of light isn't much.  
Control is small as such.  
The heart beats slow.  
Slain by those that know.  
Soul turns black.  
She comes back."_

The boy stared at the red head in shock. He didn't understand anything but it gave him cold chills.

The girl blinked slowly and color returned to her eyes. She flushed at the realization of being in a stranger's arms. "I'm Rachel."

The boy set her on her feet. "I'm Mal. This is Mace." He motioned to the second boy.

"What was that?" Mace asked.

The red headed mortal's eyes widened as she realized that her focused had been interrupted. "A prophecy. Where is Percy?"

"Percy?" Mace asked at the same time Mal asked. "Prophecy?"

Rachel knew that everyone in camp knew she was the Oracle. They also knew Percy. "Are you guys new or something?"

The boys answered yes at the same time. Rachel smiled. "Welcome to camp."

She started to walk away to find Percy but the boy, Mace, grabbed her arm. "I was told to ask around for Jake Manson. Do you know where he is?"

Rachel pointed to the boy coming up the trail. "That's him right there."

The boy thanked her and continued on. She rushed to find Percy. Something in her gut said that this prophecy was something important and had to do with him.

The red head ran fast and asked every demi-god she passed. They shook their heads and she continued on.

She ran into a familiar face. He was back from the Council of Cloven Elders for a visit. "Grover, have her seen Percy?"

"In his cabin, I think." Grover could see the shaking running through Rachel's figure. "What's going on?"

"I just delivered a prophecy. I need to get to Percy."

"Do you need help?" Grover could see the urgency in Rachel's eyes.

"I'll check his cabin and then get back to you." Rachel said. Her friend agreed and she ran to cabin three. Percy was inside walking with Harley—trying to stop her crying.

He looked up. "Do you know where Annabeth is?"

The red head took the demi-god's child into her arms and told him to sit. He watched her closely and then sat in the desk chair. "What?"

She recited the prophecy. "I had a feeling I needed to tell you."

The baby in Rachel's arms continued to cry. She didn't like her father being upset.

Percy stood and took the baby from Rachel and paced the room. "I need to think." He meant for the mortal to leave.

She got the hint and left. Thoughts ran through his mind and he barely noticed when his child stopped crying. He took a drachma from his fountain and called for his father.

The god of the sea was surprised but calm when he saw the image of his only remaining demi-god child. "Percy! What brings this—"

"Where is she?" The voice was soft but the tone was demanding an answer.

Poseidon's face went blank. "What do you mean?"

"Rachel just gave me her prophecy. Alec is awake. Where is she?" The voice was an octave louder but the tone did not change.

Poseidon was genuinely surprised. "Percy, we have been checking in on her. She hasn't moved. I will check on her again if you would like."

"I would." Percy ran his hand through the rainbow in the mist. The image of his father disappeared.

He listened to the water by the camp. It was calm and normal—sloshing against the shore slowly. It changed in an instant.

A wave crashed loudly into another and the entire beach was flooded. The demi-god got his answer: She was awake . . . and missing.

—**o—**

The blonde boy was walking through the dark tunnels. He had been ordered to wait. He knew the consequences of not listening to the GreatOne. Even if he had been killed.

A small girl stood next to him. She had black hair and was no older than twelve. "Are you sure?"

The boy paced quietly. "Any minute."

The doors opened right on time and their new leader entered. Power followed from the being and a cocky smirk lit the boss's face. "Did you miss me?"

The two children bowed before their master. The one that would bring them to greatness in a way the GreatOne had known they would. That is why he gave them certain instructions to follow.

"We have been waiting." The small girl with black hair spoke up.

"Well, yeah, sorry about that I guess. I've been a little out of it."

The boy was beginning to question the GreatOne's judgment. "You're acting as if you do not care."

The boss crossed the room and took a drink of the wine on the table. "Well, Luke, that would be because I don't."

"You do not seem to know the importance of your soul." Luke snapped.

"Luke, calm down." The young girl warned.

"We put too much into this for me to be calm, Bianca."

The name sparked something in the new boss. "She is right, Luke. Don't get me pissed. You won't fucking like it!" The last three words were shouted.

"He is naïve, master." Bianca said quickly. "He does not know how you wish to be treated."

"Well, you can start by not calling me 'master'." Normally there would be a smile playing around the lips of the leader, but the urge to smile was not around.

"What do you wish to be called?" Luke asked with more respect in his voice.

"What's wrong with my name?"

The two followers exchanged glances before Luke spoke. "What do we do first . . . Alec?"

Now a smile formed on Alec's face. Her purple eyes glinted with excitement. "We bring in demi-gods. Weaken the camp. Then we take it with force. It is very simple really."

"What about Olympus?" Luke asked.

"We get rid of the demi-gods first." Alec said with conviction. She propped her feet up on the table. _All part of the plan_, she thought to herself._ Everything has a purpose__**.**_

**Oh and there **_**will **_**be a second story. It will be titled, "The Life Changing Choices: At What Cost?" I know it's not catchy or anything but it's all I could think of.**

**I would like to make a shout out to the people that have helped me when I had writers block. They are WiseGirl24, Maggie56, and Alonsela. By the way, Alonsela is the one who inspired me to write the second story and with this chapter particularly (the part where Rachel has a prophecy, the rest was my twisted ideas ha) so if you like this story enough to want a second story, I would thank her.**

**I love these peeps like a bro and sis in Christ (look up To All My Friends On My Stickham Friends List-Miss New Booty on YouTube if you want to get the joke) haha. Antywhos, I'll get to work on the second story soon, but I want at least five people to tell these girls thanks for helping me out (again only if you like the story) because I think they deserve it :)**


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